Description

Mitral valve disease is a problem with the valve located between the left heart chambers. The upper left chamber of the heart called the left atrium. The lower left chamber of the heart called the left ventricle.

Mitral valve disease includes:

  • Regurgitation of the Mitral valve. The mitral valve flaps (also called leaflets, may not close tightly. This causes blood to leak backwards.
  • Stenosis of the Mitral valve. The mitral valve leaflets become thick or stiff, and can be melted together. This restricts the opening of the valve, which reduces the flow of blood from the left atrium into the left ventricle.

The treatment for mitral valve disease depends on the severity of the condition and if it is worsening. Sometimes, surgery is recommended to repair or replace the mitral valve.

Symptoms

Some people with mitral valve disease may not have symptoms for many years, if at all.

The symptoms of mitral valve disease may include:

  • Fatigue.
  • Irregular beating of the heart.
  • Shortness of breath.

When to see a doctor

If you have symptoms of mitral valve disease, you may be referred to a doctor trained in diseases of the heart, called a cardiologist.

Causes

To understand the causes of the disease of the mitral valve, can be useful to know how the heart works.

The mitral valve is one of the four heart valves that keep blood flowing in the right direction. Each valve has flaps called leaflets that open and close once during each heartbeat. If a valve does not open or close properly, the blood flow through the heart in the body can be reduced.

  • In mitral valve regurgitation, the flaps do not close tightly. The blood flows backward when the valve is closed, making it more difficult for the heart to work properly.
  • Stenosis of the mitral valve, the valve opening is narrowed. The heart must work harder to push blood through the small opening of the valve. If the valve opening becomes small enough, it can reduce the flow of blood between the left heart chambers.

Mitral valve disease has many causes. Some forms of mitral valve disease can be present at birth. A heart problem that one is born with is called a congenital heart defect.

Mitral valve disease can also develop later in life. This means that it is acquired. For example, mitral valve stenosis is often caused by rheumatic fever. This fever is a complication of a strep infection that can affect the heart. When this happens, it is called rheumatic disease of the mitral valve.

Other causes of acquired mitral valve disease include:

  • Other heart conditions.
  • Infection.
  • Age-related changes.
  • Autoimmune disease, such as lupus.

Risk factors

There are several factors that can increase the risk of mitral valve disease, including:

  • Advanced age.
  • Certain infections that affect the heart.
  • Heart attack and some types of heart disease.
  • The use of certain drugs.
  • Condition of the heart that are present at birth is called a congenital defect of the heart.
  • The radiation in the chest.

Complications

Mitral valve disease can cause many complications. The severe mitral regurgitation, for example, makes the heart work harder, which can cause the left ventricle to enlarge, and the heart muscle is weakened.

Other complications of mitral valve disease may include:

  • Irregular and often rapid heart beat, called atrial fibrillation.
  • High blood pressure in the blood vessels in the lungs, called pulmonary hypertension.
  • The blood clots.
  • Congestive heart failure.
  • Stroke.

Diagnosis

To diagnose mitral valve disease, including mitral valve stenosis and mitral valve regurgitation, a health care professional examines and ask you questions about your medical history.

The healthcare provider listens to your heart with a device called a stethoscope. A whooshing sound called a heart murmur may be a sign of a mitral valve condition.

Tests to diagnose mitral valve disease may include:

  • The echocardiogram.Use sound waves to create images of the heart in motion. This test shows how blood moves through the heart and the heart valves, including the mitral valve. An echocardiogram can help in the diagnosis of congenital mitral valve disease rheumatic mitral valve disease, and other conditions of the heart valves. An echocardiogram standard is performed from the outside of the body. But sometimes, a in more detail in the echocardiogram is needed to get a closer look at the mitral valve. This type of echocardiogram called a transesophageal echocardiogram. Is performed from the inside of the body.
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This quick and simple test that measures the electrical activity of the heart. It shows how fast or how slow the heart is beating. Sticky patches called sensors or electrodes attached to the chest and sometimes the arms and legs. The cables connect the patches to a computer, that prints or displays the results.
  • X-ray of the chest. An x-ray is an image of the heart and the lungs. They can show if the heart is enlarged, which may be a sign of certain types of heart valve disease.
  • CardiacMRI. This test uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the heart. A cardiac mri could be done to determine the severity of the disease of the mitral valve.
  • Exercise tests or stress tests. These tests often involve walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike while the heart is on. Exercise tests can help reveal how the heart responds to physical activity, and if the valve symptoms of the disease occur during the exercise. If you can't do the exercise, you can receive a drug that affects the heart as the exercise you do.
  • The cardiac catheterization.A doctor guides a thin tube, called a catheter through a blood vessel of an artery in the heart. Contrast dye flows through the catheter. This makes the arteries of the heart are shown more clearly on x-rays. Cardiac catheterization is not often used to diagnose the disease of the mitral valve, but can be used if other tests are not diagnosed with the disease. Can also be done to see if you have disease of the coronary arteries.

The echocardiogram. Use sound waves to create images of the heart in motion. This test shows how blood moves through the heart and the heart valves, including the mitral valve. An echocardiogram can help in the diagnosis of congenital mitral valve disease rheumatic mitral valve disease, and other conditions of the heart valves.

An echocardiogram standard is performed from the outside of the body. But sometimes, a in more detail in the echocardiogram is needed to get a closer look at the mitral valve. This type of echocardiogram called a transesophageal echocardiogram. Is performed from the inside of the body.

The cardiac catheterization. A doctor guides a thin tube, called a catheter through a blood vessel of an artery in the heart. Contrast dye flows through the catheter. This makes the arteries of the heart are shown more clearly on x-rays.

Cardiac catheterization is not often used to diagnose the disease of the mitral valve, but can be used if other tests are not diagnosed with the disease. Can also be done to see if you have disease of the coronary arteries.

Assay

After the test confirms a diagnosis of the mitral or other heart valve disease, your health care team can tell you that the stage of the disease. Staging helps to determine the most appropriate treatment.

The stage of heart valve disease depends on many things, including symptoms, severity of the disease, the structure of the valve or valves and the flow of blood through the heart and lungs.

Heart valve disease is staged in four basic groups:

  • Stage A: At risk. Risk factors for heart valve disease are present.
  • Stage B: Progressive. Valve disease is mild or moderate. No valve of the heart of the symptoms.
  • C-stage: Asymptomatic severe. No valve of the heart of the symptoms, but the disease of the valve is severe.
  • Stage D: Symptomatic severe. Heart valve disease is severe and is causing the symptoms.

Treatment

Mitral valve disease treatment depends on the symptoms, the severity of the condition, and if the disease is getting worse.

A doctor trained in heart disease, called a cardiologist, usually provides care for people with disease of the mitral valve. The treatment of mitral valve disease may include regular medical checkups to see how you are doing. If you have mitral valve disease, you may be asked to:

  • Make changes for healthy lifestyle.
  • Take medications to treat the symptoms.
  • Take blood thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots if you have an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.

Surgery or other procedures

A diseased or damaged mitral valve, eventually, you might need to be repaired or replaced, even if you have no symptoms. Surgery for mitral valve disease includes the repair of the mitral valve and the mitral valve replacement.

If you need surgery for another disease of the heart, a surgeon can make the repair or mitral valve replacement at the same time.

Surgeons at some medical centers to perform robot-assisted heart surgery, a type of minimally invasive heart surgery in which the robotic arms that are used to perform the procedure.

Repair of the Mitral valve

During the repair of the mitral valve surgery, the surgeon can:

  • Patch holes in a valve of the heart.
  • Reconnect the valve flaps.
  • Remove the excess valve tissue so that the flaps can be closed tightly.
  • The repair of the structure of the mitral valve by replacing the cables that support it.
  • Separate the valve leaflets that have been merged.

Another repair of the mitral valve procedures include:

  • Annuloplasty. A surgeon tense or reinforcing ring around the valve. Annuloplasty can be done with other techniques for the repair of a heart valve.
  • The valvuloplasty. This treatment is used for the repair of a mitral valve with a narrow opening. The valvuloplasty could be done even if you have no symptoms. The surgeon inserts a catheter with a balloon on the tip into an artery in the arm or groin and guides the probe of the mitral valve. The balloon is inflated, expanding the opening of the mitral valve. The balloon is deflated, and the catheter and balloon are removed.
  • Mitral valve clip. In this treatment, a surgeon guides a catheter with a clip on the end of the mitral valve through an artery in the groin. The clip is used to fix a broken or leaking mitral valve leaflet. This procedure is an option for people who have severe mitral valve regurgitation or that are not a good candidate for surgery of the mitral valve.

Mitral valve replacement

During the replacement of the mitral valve, the heart surgeon removes the mitral valve and replaces it with a mechanical valve or a valve from a cow, pig or human heart tissue. A tissue valve is often called a biological tissue valve.

Sometimes, a catheter in the heart of treatment can be done to insert a replacement valve in a biological tissue valve that is not functioning properly. This is called a valve-in-valve procedure.

If you had mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve, you need blood thinners for life, to prevent the formation of blood clots. Biological tissue valves will break down over time and need to be replaced.

Lifestyle and home remedies

If you have disease of the heart valves, including mitral valve disease, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle. Your health care team may ask you to make lifestyle changes, including:

  • Eating a heart-healthy diet. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, low-fat or non-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and whole grains. Avoid saturated and trans fats, and excess sugar and salt.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease. Talk with a health care professional to set realistic goals for body mass index and weight.
  • The regular physical activity. Aim to include about 30 minutes of physical activity, such as brisk walking, on his daily exercise routine. Talk with your health care team about the amount and type of exercise is best for you, especially if you are thinking about competitive sports.
  • Stress management. Find ways to help manage stress, such as through relaxation, meditation, physical activity, and spend time with family and friends.
  • Avoid tobacco. If you smoke, stop smoking. Ask a health care professional about resources to help you quit smoking. Join a support group can be helpful.
  • Avoid or limit consumption of alcohol. The excessive use of alcohol can cause irregular heartbeats. Ask your health care team about the effects of drinking alcohol.
  • Get health checkups. Establish a regular schedule with your cardiologist or primary care physician. Tell your health care team if you have any change in their signs or symptoms.
  • Practice good sleep habits. Lack of sleep can increase the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. If you have trouble sleeping, talk with a health professional about strategies that might help.

Pregnancy

If you have disease of the mitral valve and are thinking about becoming pregnant, talk with your health care team first. Pregnancy causes the heart to work harder. How a heart with mitral valve disease tolerate the extra work that depends on many things. A health professional may also explain the safest way to treat the disease of the mitral valve during pregnancy. Frequent health checks are required if you have heart valve disease during pregnancy.

Coping and support

Connect with friends and family, or a support group is a great way to reduce stress. You may find that talking about the disease of the mitral valve and their concerns with other people in similar situations can help.

Preparing for your appointment

If you think you have mitral valve disease, make an appointment for a health checkup. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

  • Be aware of pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do beforehand.
  • Write down your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to the disease of the mitral valve.
  • Write important personal information, including a family history of heart disease, and any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. Include the dose.
  • Have a friend or family member, if possible, to help you remember information that it receives.
  • Be prepared to discuss your diet and exercise habits. If you do not eat well and exercise, be prepared to talk about the challenges that you might face in the introduction.
  • Write questions to ask their health care team.

For mitral valve disease, some basic questions to ask your health care team include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
  • What are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
  • What tests are needed?
  • What is the best treatment?
  • What are the options for the main treatment you are suggesting?
  • Is there a generic option for the medicine you're prescribing?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • There are restrictions that must be followed?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • If I need surgery, a surgeon who would I recommend to the heart valve surgery?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care team is likely to ask several questions, including:

  • When did your symptoms begin?
  • The symptoms been continuous or occasional?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Symptoms and treatment of Mitral valve disease