Learn more about the Anatomy of the Heart.Symptoms of heart valve disease can vary depending on which valve is involved and how advanced the disease is. In some cases of heart valve disease, you may not experience any symptoms for many years. Or, you may not ever experience symptoms. In other cases, heart valve disease may progress over 20 or 30 years before symptoms appear.
Some of the most common symptoms indicating heart valve disease are:
- Shortness of breath during exertion
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Dizziness or fainting
- Unusual fatigue or weakness
- Palpitations
- Irregular heartbeat
- Breathlessness while lying down
- Swelling of ankles, feet or abdomen
- Rapid weight gain
Heart Murmur
While listening to your heart with a stethoscope, your doctor may hear an unusual heart sound called a heart murmur. Heart murmurs may indicate heart valve disease or may occur in individuals without heart valve disease. In some cases, a heart murmur may be present in a person with heart valve disease who experiences no other symptom or problems.