Edited by
Andrew Wang
Thomas M. Bashore

2009

Prior to the invention of the stethoscope by Laennec in 1816, valvular heart disease was predominantly diagnosed by post-mortem examination. With advancements in our diagnostic tools, such as cardiac catheterization and non-invasive imaging, the diagnosis and assessment of valvular heart disease has improved to the point where the cause, severity, and hemodynamic consequences of these lesions can now be accurately defined.