Heart valve disease is characterized by which of the following?

• A. Complications include volume overload and pressure overload
• B. Valve may become damaged through disease or infection
• C. Fluid accumulated in the lungs causing SOB
• D. The valve is not affected by disease

Answer: (B)

Heart valve disease is defined by structural damage to a valve caused by disease processes or infection, such as rheumatic heart disease or infective endocarditis, which impairs the valve’s ability to open and close properly. That damage sets up abnormal blood flow across the valve, leading to either stenosis (increased pressure load on the chamber before the valve) or regurgitation (volume overload from blood leaking back). This is the defining feature—the valve itself is damaged by disease or infection. While valve disease can eventually contribute to symptoms like fluid backing up in the lungs or heart failure, those are consequences of the valve problem, not its fundamental characterization; saying the valve isn’t affected would be incorrect.