Structural Heart Disease

Diagram of various forms of structural heart disease.

What is structural heart disease?

Structural heart disease refers to many different conditions caused by defects or abnormalities in the heart. These structural conditions can affect the valves, walls or muscle of the heart; and may be either congenital (present at birth) or can form later in life (due to aging, infection or an underlying condition).

For example, a baby may be born with a hole in the heart chamber; while an older person may develop a leaky heart value due to wear and tear. Both conditions fall under the umbrella term of structural heart disease.

What causes structural heart disease?

In a healthy heart, all four heart valves work together to ensure the flow of blood is in one direction. When one or more of these valves is damaged or becomes defective (either through wear and tear, or something you are born with) the heart doesn’t function as well as it should. This can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.

What are the symptoms of structural heart disease?

The symptoms and severity of structural heart disease vary from patient to patient.

Common symptoms include:   

  • Chest pain or tightening

  • Fatigue

  • Irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations

  • High blood pressure

  • Kidney dysfunction

  • Leg cramping

  • Migraines

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty exercising

  • Stroke

  • Transient ischemic attack (TIA) also known as a mini stroke

 How you do diagnose structural heart disease?

Often structural heart disease is diagnosed at birth. If you are experiencing symptoms later in life, your doctor may use range of tests to measure heart function and diagnose any problems. These tests may be repeated over time to monitor how you respond to treatment.

  • Blood and urine tests – to assess a variety of health factors including organ function

  • Chest X-rays – to check the size of your heart and identify any fluid build-up

  • Electrocardiogram (EGC) – to record the electrical activity of your heart

  • Echocardiogram (echo) – to see how well your heart is pumping

  • CT imaging – to take x-ray images of blood flow, heart structure and movement

  • Cardiac MRI – to create more detailed images of your beating heart and blood vessels

  • Right heart catheterisation – to check pressures in the heart and artery leading to the lungs; and measure heart output and blood oxygen levels.

How do you treat structural heart disease?

The treatment for structural heart disease depends on the condition and patient. Some cases simply require regular monitoring for any changes or if symptoms get worse; or medication to manage the disease. Other cases may require surgery to repair or replace the heart structures using implant cardiac devices.