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Overview
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP):
MVP is a congenital defect, which means patients are born with the disorder.
Mitral stenosis:
- Rheumatic fever
- Congenital defect (generally part of a larger, more complicated heart defect)
Mitral valve regurgitation:
- Rheumatic fever
- Congenital defect (generally part of a larger, more complicated heart defect)
- Coronary artery disease
- High blood pressure
- Endocarditis
- Marfan's syndrome
Causes
CHF is a disease that typically develops slowly overtime. In most instances, the heart is
damaged by one of the following conditions:
Symptoms
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP):
- Heart palpitations
- Fast heartbeats
- Dull pain in the chest when at rest
- Weakness, fatigue
- Panic attacks, anxiety
- Migraine headaches
Many people with MVP never exhibit symptoms. In other instances, symptoms don't occur until a major stressful event, such as childbirth or a serious illness, set them off.
Mitral stenosis:
- Heart palpitations
- Breathing difficulties at the following times:
- During or after exercise
- When lying flat
- When asleep (patient is woken by breathing difficulties)
- Cough
- Weakness, fatigue
- Repeated respiratory infections
- Chest discomfort
- Feet and/or ankle swelling
Mitral valve regurgitation:
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations, fast heartbeat
- Weakness, fatigue, light-headed
- Cough
- Excessive urination at night
Diagnosis
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP)
Your physician may able to diagnose MVP by listening to your heart with a stethoscope. If your physician suspects MVP, he or she may order one or more of the following tests:
Mitral stenosis:
Your physician may suspect mitral stenosis after listening to your heart with a stethoscope and conducting a thorough physical exam. If your physician suspects mitral stenosis, he or she may order one or more of the following tests:
- Echocardiogram
- EKG
- Chest X-ray
- Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
- Diagnostic cardiac catheterization
Mitral valve regurgitation:
Your physician may suspect mitral valve regurgitation after listening to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope and conducting a thorough physical exam. If your physician suspects mitral regurgitation, he or she may order one or more of the following tests:
- Echocardiogram
- EKG
- Chest X-ray
- Diagnostic cardiac catheterization
- Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
- MRI
- CT
Treatment
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP):
- Endocarditis prevention, including preventive antibiotics before dental work and medical procedures
- Drug therapy
- Surgical repair or replacement of the valve (rare)
Aside from endocarditis prevention, including preventive antibiotics prior to dental procedures, most patients with MVP experience few complications and require no therapeutic treatment. If you're diagnosed with this condition, inform your physicians and dentists of your diagnosis and follow-up with your physician regularly. In some rare instances, surgery to repair or replace the valve may be required.
Mitral stenosis:
- Endocarditis prevention, including preventive antibiotics before dental work and medical procedures
- Drug therapy to treat mitral stenosis, as well as atrial fibrillation, which is sometimes a complication of this condition (diuretics, beta blockers, digoxin, nitrates, anticoagulants)
- Surgical repair or replacement of the valve (rare)
- Valvuloplasty (Cardiac catheterization therapy that opens the heart valve) (rare)
Aside from endocarditis prevention, including preventive antibiotics prior to dental procedures, patients with mild or absent symptoms may experience few complications and require no therapeutic treatment. If you're diagnosed with this condition, inform your physicians and dentists of your diagnosis and follow-up with your physician regularly.
When symptoms are present and severe, your physician may hospitalize you until a clear diagnosis and treatment plan are established. In more severe cases, surgery or valvuloplasty to repair or replace the valve may be required. Treatment of this condition may also encompass treatment for complications that can occur with mitral stenosis, such as atrial fibrillation, pulmonary edema, pulmonary hypertension, stroke, heart failure, etc.
Mitral valve regurgitation:
- Endocarditis prevention, including preventive antibiotics before dental work and medical procedures
- Drug therapy to treat mitral valve regurgitation, as well as atrial fibrillation, which is sometimes a complication of this condition (diuretics, vasodilators, beta blockers, digoxin, nitrates, antiarrhythmia, anticoagulants)
- Surgical repair or replacement of the valve
Aside from endocarditis prevention, including preventive antibiotics prior to dental procedures, patients with mild or absent symptoms may experience few complications and require no therapeutic treatment. If you're diagnosed with this condition, inform your physicians and dentists of your diagnosis and follow-up with your physician regularly.
When symptoms are present and severe, your physician may hospitalize you until a clear diagnosis and treatment plan are established. In more severe cases, some activity restrictions may be required. If your condition is especially severe and/or deteriorating, surgery to repair or replace the valve may be required. Treatment of this condition may also encompass treatment for complications that can occur with mitral valve regurgitation, such as atrial fibrillation, pulmonary emboli, stroke, heart failure, etc.
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Valvular Disease - Mitral Valve