Mitral regurgitation is a condition of the heart in which the blood flows in the back direction in the left chamber of the heart. This happens due to improper functioning of the mitral valve. Mitral valve is either loose or too firm to close or open during heart contractions. This increases pressure in the heart leading to more stress on the heart.
Its symptoms develop gradually and may appear suddenly. It includes fainting, tiredness, chest pain, shortness of breath and many more discussed below. It can be treated with medicines, lifestyle modifications, and other treatment options.
Can You Feel Mitral Regurgitation?
Mitral regurgitation is usually mild in nature. It remains unnoticeable in most people as it usually does not have a symptom. Those people who are suffering from mitral regurgitation do not feel anything.
Mitral regurgitation symptoms are different in different person depending upon the compatibility and functioning of the mitral valve. Its progress is slow, but the symptoms may appear suddenly. You can feel mitral regurgitation by the following symptoms-
Fatigue– oxygenated blood from the left ventricle travels to the rest of the body to fuel various organs. Mitral valve regurgitation reduces this flow of oxygenated blood to the body. This results in a feeling of tiredness or lightheadedness throughout the day. In severe cases, tiredness is felt even when the patient lies to rest.
Shortness Of Breath– pulmonary congestion caused due to mitral regurgitation reduces the supply of the oxygenated blood. In severe cases, the patient feels shortness of breath even at rest.
Heart Palpitations– mitral regurgitation affects the pumping action of the heart. This leads to skipping of the heartbeat. The patient then feels the chest is fluttering or pounding. It may get aggravated when the patient lies on the left side.
Swelling Of Feet And Legs- when the heart is struggling in its pumping action to supply blood to the rest of the body, fluid may build up in the body leading to edema of feet and legs.
Heart Murmur– the flow of blood in left atrium from the left ventricle in backward direction may lead to abnormal sounds in the heart. These sounds are known as a heart murmur. They are whooshing and swishing sounds of blood.
Fainting- lack of adequate blood supply from the heart to the rest of the body may lead to a lack of oxygen to the brain resulting in fainting.
Mitral valve lies in between the two chambers of the left side of the heart. It separates the left atrium and left ventricle regulating the flow of blood in one direction only from the left atrium to left ventricle. The left side chambers of heart contain oxygenated blood coming from the lungs and distributed to the rest parts of the body.
Mitral regurgitation is the condition of the heart in which the flow of the blood goes back to the left atrium through the mitral valve. It is characterized by the leakage of blood into the left atrium with every pumping action of the heart. This elevates the volume of the blood in the left atrium. This creates pressure in the left atrium leading to further damage to the valve. This results in the flow of blood in two directions, one from the left atrium to left ventricle and left ventricle to the left atrium. The volume of blood drops in the left ventricle that causes less flow of blood into the left aorta. Thus, less amount of oxygenated blood travels to the rest of the body. The heart has to increase its pumping action to meet supply blood which may lead to congestive failure.
Conclusion
Mitral regurgitation is the backflow of blood in the left chambers of the heart through the mitral valve. It usually does not represent symptoms. When it represents symptoms, the patient may feel tiredness, pounding or fluttering of the heart, shortness of breath and others discussed above.
Also Read:
- How Many Years Does A Mitral Valve Repair Last?
- What Is The Best Treatment For Mitral Valve Disease?
- How Is A Mitral Valve Repair Done?
- What Is The Prognosis For Mitral Valve Disease?
- Can Anxiety Causes Mitral Valve Prolapse?
- Can Mitral Valve Disease Go Away On Its Own?
- Is Mitral Valve Prolapse A Serious Condition?
