Experiencing fatigue while undertaking everyday activities like climbing stairs, walking short distances, or carrying groceries may often be attributed to stress, ageing, insufficient sleep, or a lack of fitness. However, cardiologists caution that persistent unusual tiredness could indicate a heart issue, particularly if it worsens over time. One potential cause is a heart valve disorder, which affects the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently. The heart’s four valves ensure smooth blood flow, but when one becomes narrow, stiff, or leaky, the heart must work harder, potentially leading to a decrease in oxygen supply to muscles and organs and causing ongoing tiredness.
Conditions like aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation exemplify valve-related problems where blood flow may be restricted or leak backward, impacting the heart’s efficiency. Experts emphasize that fatigue caused by heart valve issues is distinct from typical tiredness due to stress or lack of sleep. Unlike normal fatigue, which usually improves with rest, heart-related fatigue may persist after physical activity and progressively interfere with daily activities.
Additional warning signs accompanying fatigue include shortness of breath during light activities or while lying down, chest discomfort or pressure, dizziness, irregular heartbeats, swelling in the feet, ankles, or abdomen, and fainting episodes. Specialists note that heart valve issues often go undetected in early stages as the heart compensates by working harder, with symptoms becoming noticeable primarily during physical exertion. This leads many to mistakenly attribute them to ageing or poor fitness.
Older adults, particularly those with high blood pressure, diabetes, past heart infections, or rheumatic fever history, are at greater risk of valve disorders. However, younger individuals can also be affected due to congenital defects or infections. Doctors advise regular health check-ups for early detection, as heart valve problems may be discovered through a heart murmur during an examination, followed by diagnostic tests like echocardiograms, ECGs, stress tests, or CT scans if necessary.
Treatment varies with the condition’s severity. Mild cases might only necessitate monitoring and lifestyle adjustments, while more severe instances could require valve repair or replacement procedures, including advanced minimally invasive techniques. Regular monitoring and proactive management are crucial for those at risk of or diagnosed with heart valve disorders.