Overview
Pulmonary valve disease is any issue that keeps this specific heart valve from working the way it should. Your pulmonary valve is the gatekeeper that lets your blood move from your heart’s right ventricle (lower chamber) to your lungs via your pulmonary artery. This allows your blood to get fresh oxygen to distribute to your body.
A problem with your pulmonary valve makes it harder for your blood to travel to your lungs, which delays getting oxygen to your tissues, cells and organs.
Types of pulmonary valve disease
Types of pulmonary valve disease are:
- Pulmonary valve regurgitation (leaking).
- Pulmonary valve stenosis (narrowing).
- Pulmonary atresia (missing or poorly formed valve at birth).
How common is pulmonary valve disease?
Pulmonary valve regurgitation is very common. Some people are born with different valve tissue, and that physiological difference can make them more likely to have pulmonary valve regurgitation. However, many cases are incredibly mild and this doesn’t mean it’s a worrisome condition that needs to be treated.
Pulmonary valve stenosis happens in 7% of people with congenital (present at birth) heart disease.
About 1 in 7,000 babies has pulmonary atresia at birth in the U.S.
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