Can mitral valve insufficiency be treated without valve replacement?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on September 06, 2024
00:00
00:00

Mitral valve regurgitation is classified into mild, moderate, and severe categories. Generally speaking, patients with mild and some moderate regurgitation may not exhibit symptoms. However, a small proportion of patients with moderate or severe regurgitation might experience symptoms such as tightness after activity and difficulty breathing. If these conditions recur, there may be an indication for surgical intervention. Therefore, for patients with moderate to severe symptoms, or those with significant enlargement of the heart, it is recommended to consider surgery at an early stage. If patients with mild or some moderate mitral valve regurgitation are asymptomatic and do not show significant enlargement of the heart structure, medical treatment or observation without valve replacement can be considered.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
53sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
44sec home-news-image

Can you drink alcohol with mitral valve insufficiency?

If the patient has a history of mitral stenosis or mitral regurgitation, they should avoid alcohol as it can lead to a series of side effects, especially symptoms such as chest tightness, palpitations, and difficulty breathing. If drinking alcohol results in elevated blood pressure, it requires proactive management, especially for those with heart valve diseases. It is advised that patients focus on a diet rich in high-quality protein and low in salt, fat, and sodium. Regular echocardiographic check-ups are also essential. If the patient has no special complications, active treatment is needed, which usually involves using medications to improve cardiac function.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
1min 8sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
52sec home-news-image

Why does the pulse pressure increase with mitral valve insufficiency?

Mitral valve regurgitation leading to an increased pulse pressure difference is a very common phenomenon, which is related to the condition of mitral valve regurgitation itself. This is because when the left ventricle is in systole, the incomplete closure of the mitral valve causes the blood in the left ventricle to flow back into the left atrium, significantly increasing the volume of blood in the left atrium. When the ventricle is in the diastolic filling phase, a large amount of blood from the left atrium enters the left ventricle. At the same time, the left ventricle receives blood from the left atrium as well as the blood remaining from the systolic phase of the ventricle, resulting in a significant increase in the volume of blood the ventricle pumps. This leads to a notable rise in systolic pressure, thereby increasing the pulse pressure difference.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
1min 15sec home-news-image

Can mitral valve insufficiency be detected on a chest radiograph?

Mitral valve insufficiency is characterized by an enlarged heart, and a blowing murmur can be heard during mitral valve systole through auscultation. Therefore, in chest X-ray examinations, an enlargement of the left lower cardiac border can be observed. Some severe cases may exhibit pulmonary artery hypertension, indicated by a prominent pulmonary artery segment; additionally, patients with heart failure may show increased pulmonary blood flow, all of which aid in the diagnosis of mitral valve insufficiency. However, this is not the definitive diagnosis, which should be determined through echocardiography. Especially through Doppler imaging, the enlargement of heart structures, the mosaic blood flow caused by mitral valve insufficiency, and changes in blood flow speed and direction can be clearly diagnosed. Therefore, the primary diagnostic tool for mitral valve insufficiency is not the chest X-ray, which only shows indirect signs, but echocardiography.