Is mild mitral valve regurgitation a serious condition?

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on September 07, 2024
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If the patient has a history of mitral valve insufficiency, it is recommended that they undergo a cardiac echocardiography to further clarify the diagnosis. Simple mitral valve insufficiency can present with rumbling murmurs in the precordial area, but it may also be accompanied by palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. Sometimes, it is necessary to actively manage these symptoms by using positive inotropic drugs to improve the patient's cardiac function. If the patient exhibits swelling in both lower limbs, it may sometimes be necessary to use medications to manage this condition and alleviate the current symptoms. Dietary recommendations should also include a low-salt, low-fat, and low-sugar diet to help improve the symptoms.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Does mitral valve insufficiency affect heart rate?

In order to maintain the vital signs of the human body, the heart must have a fixed cardiac output to ensure the blood supply and nourishment of the body, therefore the cardiac output is definite as per the body's needs. When there is severe mitral valve regurgitation, it causes a decrease in the stroke volume. As a compensation, while the stroke volume decreases, in order to ensure the body's blood supply and nourishment, the heart accelerates its beating to maintain the supply of output. Therefore, patients with mitral valve regurgitation often experience symptoms of tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, and palpitations after exercising. This means that our heart rate after exercise will be faster than in people without mitral valve regurgitation, thus mitral valve regurgitation affects the heart rate.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Why does mitral valve insufficiency cause regurgitation?

Mitral valve regurgitation can cause backflow, as it is a type of rheumatic heart disease. Currently, treatment primarily focuses on symptomatic relief and improving the patient’s cardiopulmonary function. During this period, it is still important to actively monitor the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse changes. If there is a rapid heart rate or increased blood pressure, these conditions need active intervention to alleviate the patient’s state of ischemia and hypoxia. If there is significant regurgitation, it may lead to a state of hypoxia. During this period, it is still important to actively monitor the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse. Regular follow-up with cardiac echocardiography is adequate, and it is also necessary to actively prevent upper respiratory infections.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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What to do about chronic cough due to mitral valve insufficiency?

If the patient exhibits mitral regurgitation, this condition falls under cardiac valvular diseases. If the patient frequently experiences coughing and expectorating phlegm, it indicates a certain level of inflammatory infection. It is recommended for the patient to undergo a chest CT scan for an effective confirmation of the cause, which will then determine the treatment plan. For simple mitral stenosis, symptomatic treatment is currently the primary approach, using medications to address heart failure or ischemia and hypoxia. Early treatment is advised to alleviate the current state of ischemia and hypoxia. Persistent coughing and expectorating phlegm indicate inflammation, necessitating the use of antibiotics.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Does mild mitral valve regurgitation require treatment?

The mitral valve is a crucial structure in the left ventricle that directs blood from the atrium to the ventricle. When there is mitral valve insufficiency, the blood that should be pumped from the ventricle into the aorta and distributed throughout the body can flow back into the left atrium through the mitral valve. This can sometimes increase the ineffective efforts of the heart, leading to a higher cardiac load, and may sometimes result in heart failure. Generally speaking, there is a limit to how much load the left heart can compensate for. Mild mitral valve insufficiency is mostly within the compensatory range of the heart and may not require treatment. However, it is important to determine the cause of the mitral valve insufficiency, such as whether it is due to cardiac enlargement, poor coronary artery blood supply leading to poor mitral valve development, age-related degenerative changes, rheumatic heart valve disease, or endocardial infection. Some conditions, such as those caused by infection or coronary artery ischemia, need timely treatment. The notion that treatment is not necessary is incomplete. For some age-related degenerative changes, treatment may not be needed.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Can mitral valve insufficiency cause angina?

Angina is caused by severe ischemia of the coronary arteries, leading to abnormal myocardial metabolism, which results in cardiac angina. Some people may also experience chest tightness, a burning sensation in the precordial area, or various other discomforts. Mitral valve regurgitation can reduce the effectiveness of ventricular ejection. Most cases of mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation do not cause angina. However, severe mitral valve regurgitation, which causes most of the heart’s blood to flow back into the left atrium during contraction, can lead to reduced aortic blood supply. Once the reduction in aortic blood supply reaches a certain level, it may cause symptoms of angina. This is relatively rare, as most cases of mitral valve regurgitation typically present symptoms of cardiac failure such as breathlessness, difficulty breathing, and orthopnea.