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Mitral Valve Incompetence
Medical Questions » Mitral Valve Incompetence
| Name: Mitral Valve Incompetence |
| Also known as: |
| A leak of the mitral valve between the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart. The valve receives its name because its two halves resemble a bishop' s miter. |
Causes of Mitral Valve Incompetence
Rheumatic fever, endocarditis, heart tumors (eg. myxoma) or Marfan syndrome (see separate entries). When the large left ventricle (lower heart chamber) contracts, blood is forced not only into the aorta (where it should
go) but back through the damaged valve and up into the smaller left atrium (upper heart chamber) from where it has just come. This puts pressure back into the lungs. |
Symptoms of Mitral Valve Incompetence
Shortness of breath and abnormal fatigue. |
Tests for Mitral Valve Incompetence
Diagnosed by echocardiography (ultrasound scan) or passing a catheter through an artery into the heart. |
Treatment for Mitral Valve Incompetence
Patients with only minimal symptoms require no treatment, but if complications or progressive symptoms develop, surgical repair or replacement of the valve is necessary.
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Complications of Mitral Valve Incompetence of its treatment
An irregular heartbeat, lung failure and infections of the damaged valve. |
Likely Outcome of Mitral Valve Incompetence
Very good results obtained by surgery. |
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