Mitral regurgitation - chronic

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Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Chronic mitral valve regurgitation; Mitral valve insufficiency

• Fatigue , exhaustion , and light-headedness (may result from low cardiac output)
• Palpitations (related to atrial fibrillation )
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
  • Exertion (exertional dyspnea)
  • When lying down (orthopnea)
• Urination, excessive at night

Note: Often no symptoms are present. When symptoms occur, they often develop gradually.

Palpation may show thrill (vibration) over the heart. A stethoscope examination of the heart reveals a distinctive murmur. Rales (a crackly sound) or other abnormal breath sounds may be heard on lung examination. Ankle swelling, enlarged liver , distended neck veins, and other signs consistent with right-sided heart failure may be present.

An enlarged left atrium with a thickened or deformed mitral valve, and regurgitation of blood may be seen on:

• Echocardiogram (an ultrasound examination of the heart)
• Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
• Cardiac color-Doppler study
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Cardiac catheterization

Review Date: 05/30/2006
Reviewed By: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.