Is severe mitral valve regurgitation serious?

Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
Updated on September 17, 2024
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Mitral valve regurgitation can be mild, moderate, or severe, with severe mitral valve regurgitation being the most serious. Over time, severe mitral valve regurgitation can cause enlargement of the heart and a decreased heart pumping function, eventually leading to symptoms of heart failure. Patients may experience difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, fatigue, and other symptoms. Additionally, there may be swelling in both lower limbs. When such symptoms occur, it is necessary to take diuretic medications under the guidance of a doctor to reduce heart strain, such as furosemide or spironolactone. If necessary, digoxin may be taken to strengthen the heart and improve symptoms of heart failure. After stabilization, a mitral valve replacement or repair surgery may be scheduled.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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What is mild mitral and tricuspid regurgitation of the heart?

Mild regurgitation of the mitral and tricuspid valves means that during the contraction phase of the heart, the mitral and tricuspid valves cannot close completely, resulting in a slight imperfection in closure. This causes a small amount of blood to flow back from the ventricle into the atrium. Since the closure imperfection is minor, the volume of the regurgitating blood is not significant. If not accompanied by any organic disease, this type of regurgitation typically does not lead to adverse outcomes and does not require treatment. However, if the patient has an organic disease, especially organic heart disease, it is crucial to actively control the related diseases to prevent aggravation, which could worsen the condition of mitral and tricuspid valves regurgitation, leading to more severe regurgitation.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Severe mitral regurgitation indicators

The criteria for judging mitral valve regurgitation mainly depend on the percentage of the regurgitation area in relation to the left atrial area. If the area of mitral regurgitation exceeds 40% of the left atrial area, it is medically termed as severe regurgitation. If it is below 20%, it is considered mild regurgitation. Generally, patients with severe regurgitation require surgical treatment. This treatment can be conducted through mitral valve replacement surgery or mitral valve repair surgery. Surgical treatment can effectively prevent the occurrence of heart failure, thereby improving the quality of life and extending the patient's lifespan.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Does severe mitral valve regurgitation require surgery?

Severe mitral valve regurgitation requires surgical treatment, with options including mitral valve repair or replacement surgery. If left untreated, severe mitral regurgitation can lead to enlargement of the left ventricle and a reduction in the heart's ejection fraction, resulting in decreased pumping function and symptoms of heart failure. Patients may experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fatigue, and nocturnal paroxysmal dyspnea. Severe cases might even exhibit symptoms of acute left heart failure, such as orthopnea, profuse sweating, and coughing up pink frothy sputum. These symptoms typically necessitate hospitalization, which not only adds unnecessary financial burdens but also severely impacts the patient’s quality of life.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Why is the hemoptysis in mitral stenosis dark red?

Since mitral stenosis is a type of congenital heart disease, it could also be rheumatic heart disease. When mitral stenosis occurs, the patient mainly coughs up pink, frothy sputum because the blood at this time is dark red. Before gas exchange occurs, a person's arterial blood exhibits ischemia and hypoxia, so the blood coughed up in this state is definitely dark red. If these symptoms persist, I personally suggest going to the hospital for infusion therapy. If necessary, some hemostatic drugs should also be used to control the symptoms.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Mitral stenosis increases the load on which ventricle?

If a patient exhibits symptoms of mitral stenosis, it primarily leads to an increased load on the left atrium and left ventricle, resulting in palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. The current treatment mainly involves symptomatic therapy, using cardiotonic and diuretic medications to improve the patient's condition. Currently, medications are used in treatment to control symptoms like palpitations and chest tightness. It is advised that the patient should undergo a cardiac echocardiography to further confirm the diagnosis. In treatment, it is still necessary to control blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse changes. If there is a rapid heart rate or increased blood pressure, these should also be actively managed to reduce the cardiac load. Dietarily, it is recommended that patients adopt a light diet, particularly eating smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding spicy and irritating foods. It’s important to keep warm and avoid catching cold.