In a he althy heart, blood from the atrium goes to the ventricle and when it contracts - thanks to the mitral valve - it is pushed further into the aorta. Mitral valve regurgitation causes blood to flow back into the atrium during contraction.
Mitral regurgitationcan occur for many reasons and is a fairly common heart disease. The most common cause is damage to the leaflets of the valve itself.
The mitral valve, called the mitral valve, is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle. It consists of the posterior and anterior lobe, connected by two commissures - lateral and medial, which, when closing and opening, prevent backflow of blood.
It may occur as a result of a heart attack or endocarditis - papillary muscles, tendon threads (responsible for stabilizing the valve leaflets) or the fibrous ring (limiting the left atrioventricular opening) may be damaged - then, regurgitation is usually very acute and requires immediate cardiac surgery.
Mitral regurgitation can also be caused by rheumatic diseases, degenerative changes (calcification of the valve leaflets, Barlow syndrome), Kawasaki disease, heart muscle disease, congenital anomalies or distension of the valve annulus.
Mitral regurgitation: symptoms
Mitral valve insufficiency may be asymptomatic for a long time. The patient may feel completely well and only when the defect of the mitral valve reaches a significant degree does he experience such ailments as:
- palpitations (disturbance of beating rhythm)
- chest pain and exertional dyspnoea
- cough (especially lying down)
- lack of appetite
- liver enlargement
- swelling of the limbs (especially around the ankles)
- difficulty swallowing.
Undiagnosed and untreated mitral regurgitation can lead to very dangerous complications such as pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular failure or even death.
Mitral regurgitation: diagnosis
The basic diagnostic test for mitral valve insufficiency is the heart echo. ECG (electrocardiography - that is, registration) is also performedwork of the heart muscle), which can be used to determine whether there is an overload of the left ventricle and arrhythmias, as well as chest X-ray, which may show an enlargement of the left atrium and ventricle.
Mitral regurgitation: treatment
Patients suffering from mitral regurgitation are treated in two ways. If the condition allows, conservative treatment is applied. In such cases, vasodilators are administered (this is to prevent hypertension) and a lifestyle change is recommended. In the case of more severe conditions, surgical treatment should be performed in the form of mitral valve reconstruction or its partial or complete replacement with a mechanical or biological prosthesis.
ImportantThere are three types of mitral regurgitation and the appropriate treatment is selected depending on their occurrence:
- type I with normal mobility of the petals
- type II with increased mobility of the petals
- type III with limited mobility of the petals.