Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter - Valvular heart disease Factor
Valvular heart disease means any dysfunction or abnormality of one or more of the heart’s four valves ie aortic, mitral, tricuspid or pulmonic valves.
Valvular heart disease would have needed significant medical attention at some time, although medical attention may not have been sought until symptoms had been present for some time. Such medical treatment would normally be recorded in doctors' notes and/or hospital records. Seek medical advice if it is unclear whether claimed symptoms and treatment at a particular time can be attributed to valvular heart disease rather than to some other condition.
Valvular heart disease can be congenital, or may be due to other medical conditions such as rheumatic fever. Valvular heart disease can involve:
- mitral stenosis (MS) which produces dyspnoea (shortness of breath) and cough with exertion, excitement, fever, severe anaemia or pregnancy. Almost always caused by previous rheumatic fever;
- mitral regurgitation (MR) causing fatigue, exertional dyspnoea and orthopnoea (dysnoea when lying down). Also known as Mitral Insufficiency or Mitral Incompetence;
- mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is usually asymptomatic and is also known as Systolic Click Murmur Syndrome, Barlow’s syndrome, Click Late Systolic Murmur Syndrome, Billowing Mitral Valve Syndrome or Ballooned Valve Syndrome;
- aortic stenosis (AS) which may exist for many years before producing symptoms of dysnoea on exertion, angina pectoris (chest pain) and exertional syncope (fainting). Almost always considered congenital unless there is concomitant rheumatic fever;
- aortic regurgitation (AR) with awareness of the patient's own heartbeat, exertional dyspnoea, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea and diaphoresis (perspiration). Also known as Aortic Incompetence or Aortic Insufficiency;
- tricuspid stenosis (TS) which usually is associated with rheumatic fever and a preceding mitral stenosis - many patients initially have symptoms of pulmonary congestion;
- tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is usually seen in the late stages of heart failure due to rheumatic heart disease with severe pulmonary hypertension. The neck veins are distended and there may be marked hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver), ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity), pleural effusions (fluid in the chest) and oedema (excessive fluid). Also known as Tricuspid Incompetence or Isufficiency;
- pulmonic valve stenosis is a congenital condition.
Last reviewed for CCPS 16 July 2003.
Preliminary questions [14867]
14870 the veteran has suffered from valvular heart disease at some time.
14871 valvular heart disease means any dysfunction or abnormality of one or more of the heart's four valves ie aortic, mitral, tricuspid or pulmonic valves.
14872 the veteran suffered from the identified illness or injury, a valvular heart disease, at the time of the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.
14873 the veteran has established the causal connection between the identified illness or injury, a valvular heart disease, and VEA service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.
14874 the veteran has established the causal connection between the identified illness or injury, a valvular heart disease, and operational service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.
or
14875 the veteran has established the causal connection between the identified illness or injury, a valvular heart disease, and eligible service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.
Clinical onset and operational service [14874]
14876 the identified illness or injury, a valvular heart disease, is causally related to operational service.
Clinical onset and eligible service [14875]
14877 the identified illness or injury, a valvular heart disease, is causally related to eligible service.