What condition is referred to as "valvular heart disease"?

Valvular heart disease specifically refers to disorders that impact one or more of the heart's valves. The heart includes four valves—mitral, aortic, pulmonary, and tricuspid—that regulate blood flow through the heart chambers and into the circulation. When any of these valves become damaged or diseased due to conditions such as stenosis (narrowing) or regurgitation (leaking), it can significantly affect the heart's efficiency and lead to various complications.

Conditions impacting heart muscle, heart rhythm abnormalities, or infections of the heart lining pertain to different types of cardiac issues. While they are important aspects of cardiovascular health, they do not fall under the category defined as valvular heart disease, which is exclusively concerned with the structural and functional abnormalities of the heart valves themselves.