Mitral valve regurgitation
Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) develops when the mitral valve (also called the atrioventricular valve) fails to close properly and blood leaks back into the upper pumping chamber (left atrium). Although mild cases of MR result in few problems, more severe and chronic cases eventually weaken the heart and can result in heart failure.
Medical therapy can delay or minimize MR, but in some cases surgery is needed to replace the mitral valve. Few people with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) develop MR, and the majority of MR cases that result from MVP are considered mild.
Symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation include:
- Fatigue or weakness.
- Shortness of breath at rest or with exertion.
- Trouble breathing at night.
- Fainting or blacking out.
- Fluid buildup in the legs and feet (edema).
- Lightheadedness.
- Irregular heart rhythms (such as atrial fibrillation).
- A cough, possibly producing white or pink mucus.
Rare complications of mitral valve regurgitation caused by MVP include:
- Bacterial infection of the lining of the heart (bacterial endocarditis).
- Irregular or rapid heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
- The formation of small blood clots (emboli) that travel to the brain, where they may cause minor temporary interruption of blood flow to an area of the brain (transient ischemic attack, or TIA) or a stroke.
Some related problems may include:1
- Atrial fibrillation, as the left upper heart chamber (left atrium) enlarges.
- Heart failure, if mitral valve regurgitation is moderate to severe. This can develop because the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) does not function properly.
- High blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension).
MR may also occur with mitral valve stenosis, a condition that develops when the mitral valve fails to open as wide as it should.
There is also a slightly increased chance of sudden death in people with MVP, although why this happens is not clear. It rarely occurs and is likely to be caused by arrhythmias.2
| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: February 20, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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