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
45sec home-news-image

Is mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation serious?

If the patient has a history of mitral valve insufficiency, especially in moderate cases, it is considered quite severe. The current treatment mainly focuses on symptomatic treatment to improve the patient's cardiopulmonary function. If the patient experiences palpitations, chest tightness, or difficulty breathing, sometimes intravenous therapy is required to alleviate the current condition. Because for congenital heart disease or rheumatic heart disease, the treatment primarily involves strengthening the heart, diuresis, vasodilation, symptomatic treatment, and management. If not treated and managed promptly, the disease could worsen, and the patient may also develop swelling in both lower limbs.

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
47sec home-news-image

Is mild mitral valve regurgitation serious?

Mild mitral valve regurgitation, as the name implies, is mild and not severe. From a medical perspective, most cases of mild mitral valve regurgitation are normal physiological phenomena in the human body, which do not cause symptoms, do not affect health, and do not require treatment. Therefore, there is no need to overly worry about this condition in daily life. Of course, maintaining good lifestyle habits is necessary, such as exercising regularly with activities like running and practicing yoga, not smoking, not drinking alcohol, ensuring good sleep, and keeping a pleasant mood. Regarding diet, eat less spicy and greasy food and consume more vegetables and fruits. Good lifestyle habits can effectively prevent the worsening of mitral valve regurgitation.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
46sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
58sec home-news-image

Can mitral valve insufficiency be treated without valve replacement?

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.