Congenital valve abnormalities cannot be prevented, but they can be correctly managed to give the best quality life to the patient. Monitoring of valve function is imperative, as is the correct timing of interventive surgery.
Adequate public health interventions to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever, and to provide rapid adequate treatment of diagnosed cases, will drastically reduce the incidence of valve disease, especially in populations where this is endemic. This will, in turn, reduce the incidence of valve problems.
Because some valve problems are associated with underlying disorders, it follows that proper management of these may prevent valve problems from arising, e.g. good control of hypertension can prevent heart enlargement/ heart failure which can cause valves to leak.
Reviewed by Dr A.G. Hall (B.Soc.Sc.(SW), MB,Ch.B)
December 2008