The heart
has four chambers with the two upper chambers being the left and right atrium,
and the two lower chambers being the left and right ventricle. The four valves
at the exit of each chamber maintain one-way continuous flow of blood through
the heart to the lungs and the rest of the body. The four valves include tricuspid valve, pulmonary
valve, mitral valve and aortic valve. Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the valves do
not open or close properly. Multiple valvular disease is when it affects more
than one cardiac valve.
Get trained
in the life-saving CPR techniques for being able to efficiently deal with
cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction. If you
belong to the Memphis region in Tennessee, you can sign up for a program at the
AHA certified CPR Memphis. A student becomes eligible for a certification after
successfully passing a skills test and written exam. There are courses for both
healthcare and non-healthcare providers with an ACLS class Memphis being a program for advanced healthcare
professionals.
ACLS Training Classes- The American Heart Association ACLS
class is designed for Healthcare and Emergency Medical Professionals such as
physicians, nurses, paramedics, physician assistants, surgeons and all other
medically related professionals that must be prepared to handle a crisis
situation. ACLS courses revolve around teaching team communication in response
to immediate and post cardiac arrest care. Skills such as managing airways,
initiating IV’s, understanding ECG’s and emergency pharmacology are all
essential components in any AHA ACLS certification class.
The course
fee is $297.
Types of Valvular Disease:
Remember
1. Stenosis is
when the valve opening becomes narrow and restricts blood flow.
2. Prolapse is
when a valve slips out of place or the valve flaps (leaflets) do not close
properly.
3. Regurgitation
is when blood leaks backward through a valve, sometimes due to prolapse.
Valve
disease can be classified as mild, moderate or severe.
Valvular Stenosis- The stiffening of cardiac valves
can narrow the size of the valve opening and restrict blood flow. The narrowing
is called valve stenosis which keeps the valve from opening fully and reduces
the amount of blood that can flow through.
1. Tricuspid valve stenosis
2. Pulmonary valve stenosis
3. Mitral valve stenosis
4. Aortic valve stenosis
Valvular Prolapse- This is a condition when the valve
flaps (leaflets) slip out of place or form a bulge which can lead to improper
or uneven closure of the cardiac valve resulting in blood leaking backwards
through the valve and one-way blood flow may be disrupted.
1. Mitral valve prolapse
2. Tricuspid, pulmonary and aortic valve
prolapse
Regurgitation- This condition takes place when the
valve doesn’t close properly and allows blood to flow backwards which puts a
strain on the heart thus reducing its pumping efficiency and limiting its
ability to supply your body with oxygen-rich blood.
1. Tricuspid valve regurgitation
2. Pulmonary valve regurgitation
3. Mitral valve regurgitation
4. Aortic valve regurgitation
Causes:
1. Congenital causes include congenital valvular
heart disease, Bicuspid aortic valve disease and Marfan syndrome (genetic
disorder that affects body’s connective tissue).
2. Acquired causes include rheumatic
fever, Infective (bacterial) endocarditis, radiation therapy and age.
3. Coronary artery disease
4. Damage to the heart muscle from myocardial
infarction
5. Other diseases of the heart muscle
(cardiomyopathy)
6. Metabolic disorders such as high
blood cholesterol
7. Tumor in the organ
8. Certain medications.
Symptoms:
1. Chest discomfort, pressure or
tightness.
2. Palpitations
3. Shortness of breath
4. Fatigue or weakness
5. Light-headedness, dizziness or near
fainting
6. Swelling
Contact CPR Memphis on 901-438-4200 for more
information on CPR courses or to join a program.
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