Participants:
Series Code: UP
Program Code: UP000062B
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00:01 What a joy it is to have God's prescription pad with us
00:04 as we talk about health on this program, the Bible. 00:08 And, here's a text, Dr. Marcum, that I think just 00:10 goes right along with what we're saying here about our 00:13 hearts and our valves, and whatnot. 00:15 Listen to this, this is Psalm 73:26 00:18 We'll put it up on the screen, there it is... 00:20 Psalm 73:26 00:35 That's good news right from the Bible! 00:37 What a wonderful prescription that is! 00:39 Yeah that's good because, you know, of course, 00:42 heart, brain - sort of interchangeable, 00:46 but God is the strength of basically our life. 00:48 You know, the strength of our life and when we have 00:51 God in our life, we have strength and really 00:53 even if we don't have human life, 00:55 that doesn't mean we don't have eternal life, 00:58 you know, through God working in us. 00:59 That's very exciting, Charles. Absolutely 01:01 And we've been talking about mitral valves today, 01:04 and aortic valves and all these valves in our body, 01:07 and a lot of people don't know much about 01:09 these heart valves, but it's something that's important 01:12 to know because I have people that come in and say, 01:14 "My doctor says I have a heart murmur," 01:15 and they're scared to death. Yes 01:17 And really, all a heart murmur is 01:20 is when you listen, you hear abnormal flow. 01:24 You hear that swishing sound you're talking about. 01:25 Yes, you can have a heart murmur 01:27 and have a completely normal heart valve. 01:30 If a person is dehydrated, sometimes you hear 01:32 an innocent murmur. 01:34 When women are pregnant, their hearts change 01:37 because it has to work so hard. 01:38 We almost always hear murmurs in pregnant women, 01:41 but just because you hear that you have a murmur, 01:44 that doesn't necessarily mean it's dangerous. 01:47 And a lot of people come to us because either their doctor 01:50 has heard a murmur... 01:52 The most serious condition is they have a symptom like 01:55 shortness of breath, can't breathe when they do things, 01:58 and then their doctor hears a murmur and then they come to us 02:01 and then we find out, "Oh yeah, you do have a murmur 02:02 that's correlating with your symptom." 02:04 We find out that the valve is not doing well, 02:07 and then we talk about all of our options to the patient. 02:09 So the murmur and symptom together 02:11 is when you know there's a problem. 02:13 Yes, if you're having a heart murmur, 02:14 and you're having symptoms, especially shortness of breath, 02:17 extreme fatigue - that might be a sign that you 02:20 might need a little more help on the valves. 02:22 All right - here's another question from 02:24 heartwiseministries.org 02:26 It says, "What is "endocarditis" 02:28 and how is it diagnosed?" It sounds kind of serious! 02:31 Yeah, endocarditis just means inflammation 02:34 of the endocardium of the heart. 02:37 Specifically when it comes to valve disease, 02:39 a lot of people pick up infections. 02:42 Let's say you cut yourself here or somewhere, 02:46 and you didn't know it, and diabetics have lots of 02:48 infections in their feet that they can't even feel their feet 02:51 because they have nerves that don't feel well. 02:53 So let's say you get an infection and you don't 02:55 even know it, and sometimes mouth infections, 02:57 the infection has been there a long time, 02:59 you don't really have it treated. 03:01 But bacteria grow there, staph grows there, 03:05 strep grows there, some type of bacteria, 03:07 and it gains access to the bloodstream. 03:10 Well first, usually a person gets pretty sick, 03:12 but those bacteria are circulating through the blood 03:15 going everywhere and it happens to see a heart valve, 03:18 and says, "Hmm, this is a nice place to land, 03:21 I think I'm going to stick here and, boy, I have a little 03:24 food source too that's constantly moving by me," 03:27 especially if it sees a heart valve that's been damaged. 03:30 It says, "Well, I'm just going to make a home here." 03:33 So he grabs onto the valve, and then all of a sudden, 03:35 he is holding onto the valve, getting some food to eat, 03:37 and says, "Well, let me grow a little bit." 03:39 So he grows a little family and before you know it, 03:41 there's an infection on that valve and actually the bacteria 03:45 are actually eating up the valve. 03:48 Physically eating the valve. Yeah 03:49 And we can have endocarditis bacteria on a heart valve 03:53 that destroys the heart valve, 03:54 but it's usually from some infection. 03:56 Now the common ones we also get is from people that use drugs. 04:00 You know, they take the IV syringe, that's dirty, 04:03 and has bacteria and then and inject, 04:06 and that infection, of course, multiplies, 04:08 and it has a tendency to get on heart valves too. 04:11 So when it gets on a heart valve, 04:12 we call that "endocarditis," 04:15 and sometimes if the valve is not leaking too bad, 04:18 we can destroy it with IV antibiotics, 04:21 but sometimes there's so much damage to the heart valve 04:24 that we have to replace the valve. 04:26 In fact, one of my patients that I've had for about 20 years now, 04:30 when he was in his 20s, he used to do a lot of drugs. 04:32 He used to do heroin and he actually got endocarditis 04:36 on both heart valves and he comes in really 04:39 short of breath with fever. 04:41 The blood cultures showed that he had bacteria in his blood. 04:44 We looked at his heart valves and sure enough 04:46 there was a big old vegetation on that heart valve. 04:49 The valve was leaking terribly, so we had to settle him 04:52 down with antibiotics and then the surgeon put 04:55 2 metal valves in him and he's still doing okay today, 04:58 and thank goodness he gave up the drugs. Oh my, yes. 05:01 But he has to take blood thinners the rest 05:02 of his life now, but that's a very common type of 05:06 valve problem and we call that "endocarditis." 05:08 But any infection that a person has on his body, 05:11 if the infection has access to the bloodstream, 05:13 it could make you very sick quickly. 05:16 Now the fancy term when it's just in the blood is called, 05:19 "bacteremia," but if it gets on a heart valve, 05:23 you know that's bacteremia that has formed endocarditis, 05:26 and that is potentially a life-threatening infection. 05:29 Now you mentioned, during the break - you and I were talking 05:32 and you said that they can do these valve replacements 05:34 without opening the heart? 05:35 They don't have to go down through the chest? 05:37 Yeah and that's new technology we've had especially for the 05:41 aortic valve. Yes 05:42 Nowadays, they call it "TAVR" transaortic valve replacement. 05:48 And they can actually go through vessels in the groin, 05:50 and we can put catheters with an artificial valve... 05:54 and while the person is not knocked out, 05:57 they can actually deploy that valve in the aortic position. 06:02 Now we mainly use it for people that are older in age, 06:05 that might not be a good surgical risk 06:07 or who have a lot of other medical problems, 06:09 and only have one valve problem. 06:11 But so far, we've been doing it for a few years now, 06:14 the results look very promising and every year as we've done it, 06:18 we've refined the procedure so it's a lot less risky. 06:21 No one, when they're older, 80 or 90 years old, 06:23 you don't want to have a big incision, 06:25 and pull the chest open and put a valve in. 06:27 But do they have to stop the heart for this? 06:29 No they don't. They don't even stop the heart? 06:30 The heart is going and they sort of just like exchange 06:33 one valve for another within the blood vessels, 06:35 and that is a remarkable use of technology. 06:39 But most valves, Charles, you know, most of them 06:41 they can put in metallic valves. 06:44 They can put a metallic valve here, here, 06:46 and through the years, there have been different 06:48 companies that do that. 06:49 We also can get replacement valves from pigs and cows, 06:53 and sometimes the aortic root is also damaged and what get 06:58 what we call an "allograft." 06:59 We get not only the valve, but the whole original part 07:02 of the aorta and replace the aorta and valve. 07:05 So a whole section they do. Yes, a whole section. 07:07 We can take the old section out, put in a new section, 07:09 sew it in and "boom," they have a valve. 07:13 Modern technology, modern medicine. 07:14 Yeah and that's a great place for modern medicine... 07:16 It is if you have an infection of the heart; 07:18 if you have the leaky heart valves from whatever reason 07:21 or you have a genetic problem. 07:23 Now most of the valves I see now are the aortic valve 07:26 that doesn't open - that's aortic stenosis and it's 07:29 usually caused by either a bicuspid genetic aortic valve, 07:32 or it's caused by the aging process and we see that a lot. 07:36 A person would say, "I'm short of breath," 07:39 the doctor would hear a murmur, would lead to this 07:41 echocardiogram and they would say, "Yes, there's too much 07:43 pressure in your heart, the valve is not opening well, 07:46 we can help you out with that." 07:48 Now you've mentioned several of the symptoms of valve 07:51 abnormalities, are there some other symptoms 07:53 we should be aware of that you haven't talked about yet? 07:55 Well, you know, I guess the main ones is because the 07:59 valve directs blood flow... you know, you want blood 08:01 heading in the right direction. 08:03 You don't want it leaking backwards, 08:04 and also you want blood getting out of the heart. Yeah 08:07 So either - you know to make this simple, 08:09 the problem with the valve is either it doesn't open... 08:11 that's called "stenosis," or it's leaky... 08:14 that's called "regurgitation." 08:16 So we have aortic valve stenosis and regurgitation, 08:20 we also have tricuspid valve - that's the valve that 08:22 is on the right side of the heart, 08:24 and we also have mitral valve regurgitation and stenosis. 08:27 The most common cause of mitral stenosis is probably 08:30 rheumatic heart disease where an infection damages the 08:34 valve and the valve doesn't open well. 08:36 And all of these would cause symptoms of shortness of breath 08:39 when you're doing things. 08:40 It can also make the heart weak which could cause 08:43 fatigue and tiredness. 08:44 If the heart went into failure, 08:46 you might get fluid in your lungs, 08:48 not be able to lay down flat. 08:49 You might have legs that were swollen up or even 08:52 a belly that was swollen up. 08:53 So those type of symptoms, you would go to a doctor 08:57 and he would say, "Well, let me order an echocardiogram 08:58 to look at the valves," and then he would find out what it is, 09:01 and he'd say, "Well here are our options." 09:03 Usually medications helps with blood pressure, 09:06 and it might help with an infection, 09:08 but usually when a heart valve gets really, really damaged, 09:10 it's time to either replace it or repair it. 09:14 Some skilled surgeons can actually repair valves, 09:16 and usually the ones they repair is the mitral valve 09:19 that prolapses - they can fix that prolap. 09:22 They work on a section called "the PT" and they do an 09:24 angular resection - it's a very elaborate surgery that's done, 09:27 but the skill that those surgeons have is just amazing. 09:31 I mean, I've heard of heart surgery on 09:33 babies in the mother. Yes 09:34 They open up the mother, they open up the baby 09:36 do heart surgery, close up everything and then 09:38 3 months later, they're born and everything is fine. 09:40 Yeah and that's a wonderful place for modern technology, 09:43 you know, to deal with these genetic defects, 09:46 these congenital defects in babies that now they can live 09:49 a lot healthier lives. 09:50 And just the bicuspid valves... you know, 200 years ago, 09:53 there was no treatment for that. 09:55 The men that had that and the women that had that 09:57 would die in their 40s and 50s and now they can 09:59 live a lot longer than that just because we have 10:01 the technology to replace that valve. 10:03 You know, one of the most amazing things as I was looking 10:05 at your little model here and the way the valves are designed, 10:10 I want to share something with you... 10:11 Make a valve over here so we can see it, okay. 10:14 Here's the valve, now lift it a little bit so we 10:16 can see it on the camera, a little higher, there we go. 10:19 There's the valve... On the C and O Canal, 10:21 my wife and I go bicycle riding on the C and O Canal a lot. 10:24 This is exactly the way that the locks are designed. 10:30 On the C and O... when the water comes this way, 10:33 it comes on to a bridge like this, on to a valve like this, 10:37 and because of the way it's designed, it won't open. 10:39 The pressure of the water coming down actually keeps it closed. 10:42 If you go this way, you'll open it up easily, 10:45 but this way, it will not let the water come out. 10:47 So it's just like modern science is using biblical science 10:52 to design the locks in the C and O Canal. That's amazing! 10:56 And what's interesting is if a person does need a heart 10:59 valve and you're out there to talk about it, the surgeon 11:01 will help guide you to the best type of valve. 11:04 And if a person is an older person, sometimes we put in 11:07 a bioprosthetic valve so they don't have to take Coumadin, 11:11 whereas a younger person that the valve has to last many, 11:14 many years, the bioprosthetic valves tend to wear out too 11:17 because they're tissue. 11:19 But the metal valves don't wear out, so the surgeon would 11:21 help guide you through the correct valve to use. 11:25 And, of course, a lot of these are genetics, 11:27 but the things that keep valves healthy are the things 11:29 that keeps everyone healthy... exercise, eating the right foods 11:34 ... those type of things will keep the valves healthy. 11:36 But sometimes an infection comes in that's unexplained 11:39 and causes endocarditis or rheumatic fever or something 11:43 bad happens - you know, genetics are passed on 11:45 and they are born with these valves. 11:46 So this is something that modern medicine is 11:48 great and we just wanted everyone to understand 11:50 a little bit about valves today. 11:52 Well very good, the take-home message I'm getting 11:54 from this is if you have a heart murmur and then you 11:57 combine it with symptoms, 11:58 then you have something to worry about 11:59 because you can live with a murmur for a long time 12:01 without the symptoms. That's correct 12:02 All right... we'll take a short break and when we come back, 12:05 if you have the symptoms of a need for God, 12:08 we have a cure for that too, and you can have that cure, 12:10 you can use it every day in your own life and that is 12:13 "prayer," going to the Master Physician, 12:15 and talking to Him personally. 12:16 We going to be doing that on our return, 12:18 so stay right where you are. 12:27 Well, we've been talking about heart valves, 12:31 and frequently people have murmurs and I know some 12:33 people that get very worried about murmurs, 12:35 but, you know, try to keep things in perspective. 12:38 If you are walking and doing well, even if you have a murmur, 12:41 chances are it's not dangerous, but we wanted the people to 12:45 learn about murmurs today so they could share it 12:47 with their friends and neighbors. 12:48 Let's pray for each other at this time... 12:50 Father God, We want to lift up a prayer 12:53 for everyone that might need healing and is hurting today. 12:56 Please come into their lives and give them peace, 12:59 and we've read some texts about how You want to be our 13:01 Ultimate Prescription... Help us to apply 13:04 this biblical technology to our lives is our prayer... Amen 13:08 If you have more questions, I want to invite you to our 13:11 website that is: heartwiseministries.org 13:14 We also have a live program that airs on 3ABN, 13:18 you can watch that and ask your questions directly. 13:20 And I want to wish you the best of health letting God be 13:23 the "Ultimate Physician." |
Revised 2016-03-01