Outlook For Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Outlook For Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Outlook for mitral valve regurgitation for children in general is good. However, the extent of the problem depends on symptoms related to regurgitation and the prolapse severity. Patients experiencing regurgitation in its most severe form and incorporating redundant valves remain at relatively higher risk related to the reduced heart functions, strokes due to clots in the valve and rhythm abnormalities. These patients always remain at a huge risk related to endocarditis and hence, they need preventative measures to deal with bacterial endocarditis for the lifetime.

Even a few patients/children may require valve repair or valve replacement to deal with severe cases. On the other side, mitral valve regurgitation remains in its mild form and hence, requires only daily check-up to make sure it always stays in the mild state. Regardless of the case, you have to consult with a reputed pediatric cardiologist to know the severity of your child’s form and restrictions if required.

Mitral valve is the heart valve present in between its left part of the atrium and ventricle. In normal conditions, mitral valve closes whenever your left ventricle starts the contraction process to avoid the flow of blood in backward direction or cause regurgitation. In case of mitral valve prolapse, valve flaps i.e. leaflets become large and few of their supporting strings become too much long. Thus, whenever your left ventricle contracts, part of any one or both of the leaflets fall in the backward direction i.e. prolapsed within the left atrium. In some cases, this leads to leakage of blood in the backward direction from the valve within the left atrium referred as mitral valve regurgitation. Because of the flow of blood in abnormal way, you may hear heart murmur in an abnormal way. Mitral valve prolapsed and regurgitation from it is uncommon in children. However, when it remains present in children, it has close association with various other syndromes or abnormalities.

Symptoms of Mitral Valve Regurgitation

A few people with mitral valve regurgitation do not experience any symptom for many years. However, the symptoms in this case depend on the severity level and the speed, at which your condition develops. Accordingly-

  • Heart murmur or abnormal heart sound often heard by placing a stethoscope
  • Breathing shortness, particularly when you involve in any intensive activity or simply lie down in the bed
  • Sensation of a fluttering type of heartbeat known as palpitation
  • Swelling in your lower body areas, especially in your ankles and feet

Mitral valve regurgitation usually remains in mild form and progresses at a slow pace. Because of this, a person does not experience any symptom for many years and often remains unaware of his/her condition, while the condition does not progress. However, your doctor may suspect the problem of regurgitation based on detecting an abnormal heart sound. In addition, in some of the cases, problem develops very fast and one experiences sudden onset of various severe signs and symptoms.

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:February 13, 2019

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