Knowledge of valvular heart disease is important to an emergency physician in three main situations:
- Emergency physicians may hear a murmur during auscultation of the heart and need to be able to decide whether the murmur is significant or not
- Patients with known valve problems may present with signs and symptoms suggesting that they are beginning to decompensate and need onward referral to prevent significant morbidity and mortality
- Emergency physicians managing an acutely unwell patient with serious haemodynamic compromise should be able to recognise when a heart valve problem is involved
Major valvular emergencies
The major valvular emergencies are:
- Infective endocarditis
- Papillary muscle rupture or flail mitral (posterior) leaflet due to ruptured chordae tendinae
- Prosthetic valve thrombosis/dehiscence
This session deals with the important presentations of valve disease in adults.
