Which of the following is a common risk factor for valvular heart disease?

• A. Smoking
• B. High protein intake
• C. Regular exercise
• D. Low blood pressure

Answer: (A)

Smoking drives inflammation and oxidative stress that damage valve tissue, speeding up degeneration and calcification of valves such as the aortic valve. This accelerates processes that lead to valvular stenosis or regurgitation. It also raises the risk of infections that can involve heart valves, like infective endocarditis, which directly damages valve leaflets and worsens valvular disease. Because valvular disease often arises from degenerative changes and endocarditis-related damage, smoking emerges as a common contributing risk factor.

High protein intake, regular exercise, and low blood pressure do not have the same well-established link to valvular degeneration or endocarditis risk as smoking does; regular exercise tends to lower cardiovascular risk, while the others aren’t recognized as typical drivers of valvular disease.