Valvular Heart Disease, from Physiopathology to Biomarker Discovery

Throughout a human lifetime, the heart beats around 3 billion times, relying on the coordinated function of its four valves: the aortic valve, pulmonary valve, mitral valve, and tricuspid valve. Valve malfunction, such as improper closure, can lead to cardiac dysfunction. As the global population ages, heart valve diseases – especially calcific aortic valve disease – are becoming more prevalent, with millions projected to be affected by 2050. These diseases often progress silently, only showing symptoms in advanced stages and resulting in high mortality. Awareness of valve diseases has evolved over centuries – from before the common era observations to major surgical and diagnostic advancements in the 20th century. Current treatments are limited to surgical or transcatheter valve replacements, as pharmacological options remain underdeveloped due to a lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved. Current innovations focus on minimally invasive procedures and omics-based research to discover early biomarkers and new drug targets.