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Mitral Regurgitation

By

The Manual's Editorial Staff

Reviewed/Revised Jan 2023
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What is mitral regurgitation?

Four heart valves control how blood flows in and out of your heart. The valves are like one-way doors that keep blood flowing in the right direction.

The Heart
VIDEO

Your mitral valve separates your left atrium and left ventricle. This valve opens to let blood from your lungs out of your left atrium and into the left ventricle. The valve closes to keep blood from rushing back into your left atrium.

Mitral regurgitation is when the mitral valve doesn't close all the way. When your left ventricle contracts to pump blood to your body, some of the blood instead leaks backward into the atrium.

How the Heart Valves Work
VIDEO

What are the causes of mitral regurgitation?

Mitral regurgitation can develop suddenly or gradually.

Causes of sudden mitral regurgitation include:

Causes of gradual mitral regurgitation include:

What are the symptoms of mitral regurgitation?

You may not have symptoms from mild mitral regurgitation.

  • Get tired easily

  • Feel short of breath

  • Have swelling in your legs

Atrial fibrillation may cause:

  • Palpitations (feeling your heart pounding, fluttering, racing, or skipping beats)

  • Shortness of breath

How can doctors tell if I have mitral regurgitation?

How do doctors treat mitral regurgitation?

Doctors will monitor your symptoms and repeat the echocardiography to decide when to do surgery. Your mitral valve should be surgically repaired or replaced before your heart muscle is damaged.

If your valve is seriously damaged, doctors can do surgery to replace the valve with:

  • A plastic, mechanical valve

Sometimes doctors replace heart valves with a valve from a pig or cow heart. However, doctors prefer to use a mechanical valve when replacing the mitral valve. If you get a mechanical valve, you'll need to take blood-thinning medicine for the rest of your life, but the valve may last several decades.

People with damaged or replaced valves sometimes need antibiotics to prevent heart valve infection, such as when they:

  • Get dental work

  • Have certain medical procedures

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