Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Despite the decline of rheumatic fever, valvular heart disease remains a common and important problem. The investigation and treatment of patients have been revolutionised by the widespread availability of echocardiography, which provides information about disease aetiology, accurate and non-invasive assessment of severity and a means of monitoring progression. These advances have facilitated progress in reconstructive valve surgery and the application of balloon valvuloplasty. Improved valve prostheses and reduction in peri-operative mortality have also broadened the indications for valve replacement surgery. A working party convened by the British Cardiac Society and the Royal College of Physicians of London have reviewed current practice and provided guidelines, summarised in this article, for the investigation and management of adults with valvular heart disease in primary care, district general hospitals and tertiary referral centres.

Type

Journal article

Journal

J R Coll Physicians Lond

Publication Date

07/1996

Volume

30

Pages

309 - 315

Keywords

Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Decision Trees, Endocarditis, Bacterial, Female, Heart Valve Diseases, Heart Valve Prosthesis, Humans, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular, Referral and Consultation