Echocardiogram for mitral valve problems
For mitral valve stenosis, an echocardiogram is done when you are first diagnosed. You will likely have regular echocardiograms so your doctor can monitor any changes in your condition. How often you get an echocardiogram depends on depends on how severe your mitral valve stenosis is. Your doctor may recommend an echocardiogram every year if you have severe stenosis, every 1 to 2 years if you have moderate stenosis, or every 3 to 5 years if you have mild stenosis.1
For combined mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation, an echocardiogram is done when you are first diagnosed. If your regurgitation is severe, you will likely have an echocardiogram every 6 to 12 months.1
You and your doctor may decide to do your echocardiograms more often or less often. For instance, if your mitral valve problem has progressed relatively rapidly and there are changes in your echocardiogram results with each test, you may need to continue having echocardiograms once or twice a year. On the other hand, if your condition is relatively stable and shows little change from echocardiogram to echocardiogram, you and your doctor may opt for having tests a little less frequently.
| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: March 18, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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