07-04-2010, 01:53 AM
Single test, echocardiogram. It will show
1) Some mild valve stenosis or regurgitation which will not require and further evaluation. Rarely, a person with an audible murmur will have a normal echo.
or
2) More severe valvular disease which over time may put undue stress on the heart. Monitoring and intervention may be based on symptoms ("Hey, doc, I'm getting more short of breath when I exercise") or may require periodic echocardiograms (for some valve problems, intervention is based on change in flow across the valve).
1) Some mild valve stenosis or regurgitation which will not require and further evaluation. Rarely, a person with an audible murmur will have a normal echo.
or
2) More severe valvular disease which over time may put undue stress on the heart. Monitoring and intervention may be based on symptoms ("Hey, doc, I'm getting more short of breath when I exercise") or may require periodic echocardiograms (for some valve problems, intervention is based on change in flow across the valve).