What is mitral valve disease?
Mitral valve disease refers to a group of conditions affecting the mitral valve in your heart, which allows blood flow from your left atrium to your left ventricle. These two chambers of your heart hold oxygen-rich blood from your lungs and pump blood to the rest of your body. When your mitral valve becomes diseased or damaged, blood is not spread to the rest of your body as well as it should. Severe damage can be potentially life-threatening, leading to serious problems like heart failure.
There are three different forms of mitral valve disease:
- Mitral valve stenosis – the valve’s flaps become thick and stiff, narrowing the opening, and making it harder for blood to get through.
- Mitral valve prolapse – the valve’s flaps become too stretchy and affect the left atrium, preventing your valve from closing as well as it should.
- Mitral valve regurgitation – the valve’s flaps become pulled apart and can’t close all the way, causing blood to potentially leak back towards the left atrium.
What causes mitral valve disease?
In some cases, people are born with mitral valve disease, for others it is developed as you get older. Some adults are affected suddenly due to an infection in their heart or a heart attack. The most common way of developing mitral heart disease is the slow deterioration of the valves overtime. Other possible causes can include:
- Being born with mitral valve disease, also known as a congenital heart defect
- Connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome
- Endocarditis, an infection of the heart
- Enlargement of the left ventricle due to a heart attack
- Getting older
- Radiation therapy
How is mitral valve disease diagnosed?
To diagnose mitral valve disease, your provider will review your medical history and perform a physical examination. During the exam, your provider will listen to your heart to determine if there are certain sounds associated with each form of mitral valve disease:
- Mitral valve stenosis – a murmur sound accompanied by a snapping sound.
- Mitral valve prolapse – a clicking sound followed by a murmur.
- Mitral valve regurgitation – a murmur sound.
After your provider listens to your heart, imaging tests may be needed to help with the full diagnosis. An echocardiography uses ultrasound technology to show your heart’s electrical activity and check for valve disease and other heart problems. A chest X-ray can show whether your left ventricle is enlarged or if fluid is building up in your lungs.
What are the treatment options for mitral valve disease?
In many cases, valve diseases can’t be prevented, but you can treat symptoms. Treatment for mitral valve disease will vary from person to person, depending on your symptoms, severity, and form of the disease. If you are not experiencing symptoms, your provider may simply recommend monitoring your symptoms and not move forward with treatment at that time. If you are experiencing symptoms, your provider may recommend any of the following treatments:
- Balloon valvotomy – a minimally-invasive procedure in which a balloon is inserted via a thin catheter through the blood vessels into your heart. The balloon is then inflated to create more room between the cusps.
- Medication – can help to ease some of your symptoms, including blood pressure, reducing swelling, and slowing your heart rate.
- Mitral valve replacement surgery – in some cases, completely replacing the affected valve is the only way to treat mitral valve disease.
- Mitral valve repair surgery – repairing the valve allows you to keep your current valve and avoid potential complications associated with a replacement.
Complications of Mitral Valve Disease
If left untreated, mitral valve disease can have potentially life-threatening complications. Although they are low, possible complications are like those for other heart procedures, including:
- Arrhythmia
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Heart attack
- Heart block
- Infection
If you experience common symptoms of mitral valve disease, contact your healthcare provider immediately.