Heart valve problems
Heart valve problems (heart valve disease) happen when one or more of the heart valves do not open or close properly. Read more about heart valve problems →
If symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Where are you up to?
The NHS reports waiting times by specialty, not by individual condition, so this is the cardiology wait, updated August 2026. Enter a postcode to see the hospitals near you.
cardiology waiting times by hospital
| Trust | Location | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Leeds | 5 weeks |
| Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust | Wakefield | 6 weeks |
| United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Lincoln | 6 weeks |
| University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust | Westmorland and Furness | 6 weeks |
| Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust | Nottingham | 7 weeks |
| The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust | Dudley | 7 weeks |
| Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | Tameside | 7 weeks |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | Blackburn with Darwen | 7 weeks |
About heart valve problems
Heart valve problems happen when one of the heart's four valves does not work properly. A valve may not open fully, so blood is squeezed through a narrower opening, or it may not close fully, so blood leaks back the wrong way. Either way the heart has to work harder. Some people have no symptoms for years, while others notice breathlessness, tiredness, chest discomfort, palpitations or swollen ankles. A valve problem is often first suspected when a doctor hears a murmur through a stethoscope.
How it is treated
A valve problem is assessed with an echocardiogram, an ultrasound scan of the heart that shows how the valves are working, arranged by the heart team. Mild problems are often simply monitored over time with repeat scans, and medicines may be used to ease symptoms such as breathlessness or to manage blood pressure. When a valve is badly affected, an operation to repair it or replace it may be recommended. This can be open-heart surgery or, for some people, a less invasive procedure done through a tube passed up to the heart.
After treatment
If a valve is being monitored, the main thing is to keep up with the regular scans and reviews, and to report any new or worsening breathlessness, chest discomfort or swelling. After a valve repair or replacement, recovery depends on the type of operation, from a few weeks for a keyhole procedure to a longer recovery after open surgery, with cardiac rehabilitation to help you build back up. Some replacement valves need a blood-thinning medicine afterwards. Lifelong follow-up keeps a check on how the valve is working.
Sources: British Heart Foundation: Heart valve disease. Last updated October 2026.
General information only, not medical advice. Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. Your GP decides what care, if any, you need.