Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Pulmonary means related to the lungs. Stenosis means a narrowing. Pulmonary stenosis is a congenital disorder. In babies with pulmonary stenosis the valve between the right ventricle (a heart chamber) and the pulmonary artery is too narrow to allow enough blood to flow from the heart to the lungs. The pulmonary artery carries oxygen-deprived blood from the heart to the lungs so the blood can be oxygenated.

Pulmonary stenosis is a rare condition and can be minor or severe. Patients who have only mild narrowing of the valve may have no symptoms. Symptoms, if they do occur, worsen with exercise or activity.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

• Bluish tinge to the skin
• Chest pain
• Distension of the abdomen
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Inadequate weight gain or failure to thrive
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden death

Diagnostic Tests

Tests for the diagnosis of pulmonary stenosis may include:

• Cardiac catheterization, which can provide an image of blood flowing through the heart.
• Chest X-ray, which will show the condition of the heart and lungs.
• Electrocardiogram, which measures the electrical activity of the heart and can indicate when the heart is beating irregularly.
• Echocardiogram, which uses sound waves that are transformed into an image of the beating heart. It presents much more detail than an X-ray and does not involve radiation.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which uses a magnet and radio waves to produce images of the heart that can be seen in slices.

Treatment

If the pulmonary stenosis is mild, treatment may not be necessary. Medications might be used if other heart defects are present. A procedure called valvuloplasty may be used to stretch the opening of the stenotic valve. The procedure involves using a thin flexible tube called a catheter that is threaded through an artery in the groin and up to the heart. A balloon is attached to the tip of the catheter and when the balloon is stretched open it also stretches the opening in the valve.

SSRI Antidepressants and Heart Defects

Studies have shown there may be a slight link between a pregnant mother taking SSRIs, a class of antidepressants, and heart defects in her newborn. If a woman becomes pregnant while taking an SSRI, she should talk with her doctor about the risks of having a baby born with a heart defect versus the benefits of taking this type of drug during pregnancy. Only a doctor can help her make this decision.

It is important to note that if you become pregnant or are planning a pregnancy and are taking a SSRI, you should talk with your doctor about safer alternatives. But, you should not stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor first. Untreated depression can also cause harm to a developing baby.

If your baby is born with a heart defect, or any type of birth defect or complication and you believe it might be linked to a medication you took during your pregnancy, you can seek legal help by contacting a birth defect attorney from the Flood Law Group today.