title: Current medical management of valvular heart disease.
abstract: Drug therapy plays a key role in the management of valvular heart disease, though in many cases it does not alter its course or delay the need for surgery. The importance of drug therapy lies in stabilizing the patient's condition when the disease is due to abnormal valve structure, and in treating the underlying condition when the condition is due to a functional abnormality. Drug therapy also lowers the risk of bacterial endocarditis and rheumatic fever.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hayek
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000628:therapy; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000517:prevention & control