Tag: Heart valve disease

Over 5 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year. While medications cannot cure the underlying valve issue, understanding what is the medical treatment for heart valves is key to managing symptoms and improving quality of life.

According to the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association, maintaining a normal to slightly elevated heart rate is recommended for patients with aortic insufficiency. This highlights the long-standing understanding regarding why **beta blockers are contraindicated in aortic regurgitation** due to their potential to worsen the condition's hemodynamics.

Aortic stenosis (AS) affects up to 10% of people over 80 and is the most common adult heart valve condition in the Western world. For this condition, there is no single "drug of choice," as medication cannot reverse or stop the progression of the narrowed heart valve. Instead, drugs are used to manage related symptoms and comorbidities while preparing for definitive, interventional treatment.

According to a 2018 study on metoprolol's effects in left ventricular dysfunction, the medication can prevent the worsening of mitral regurgitation in some patients. This raises the question: **Is metoprolol good for a leaky heart valve**, or is its use more complex than a simple yes or no answer?