Will mild mitral valve regurgitation worsen?

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on October 22, 2024
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Because mitral valve insufficiency is a type of heart valve disease and also a form of rheumatic heart disease, mild mitral valve insufficiency can be actively managed with internal medicine, thereby alleviating the patient's symptoms.

However, this disease can potentially worsen, especially in cases of mild insufficiency. When cardiac function becomes impaired, it can lead to severe insufficiency. In such cases, surgical treatment is sometimes recommended for the patient. If the patient's cardiac function is actively managed, infections controlled, and regular hospital check-ups are maintained, improvement can be achieved.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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Mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation treatment

"Mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation has been detected, and treatment should be given based on the specific circumstances. If it is simply mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation without related structural heart disease, it can be temporarily observed without special intervention, and regular follow-up echocardiograms should be scheduled. If mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation is accompanied by structural heart disease, active treatment of the related heart disease should be pursued to effectively control it. If heart failure occurs, active treatment for heart failure should be initiated to prevent the worsening of mitral valve regurgitation due to aggravated heart failure. Therefore, if mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation is present, the cause should be further investigated and treated accordingly based on the different causes."

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Can mitral valve regurgitation be detected by imaging?

Mitral stenosis is a type of heart valve disease. It may be congenital heart disease or rheumatic heart disease, depending on individual differences. It is recommended that patients go to the hospital for a cardiac ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis, as X-rays cannot differentiate between mitral regurgitation and mitral stenosis. This condition requires a cardiac ultrasound for diagnosis. If patients experience symptoms like palpitations, chest tightness, or difficulty breathing during this period, these issues need to be actively managed. Generally, positive inotropic agents are used to alleviate the current condition of the patient and achieve relief, while also ensuring regular follow-up visits at the hospital.

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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 Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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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.