Phillip A. Koren, MD, FACC Medical Director, Cooper Heart Institute Assistant Professor, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University
Today, thanks to improved quality of medical care and increased attention on prevention, people are living longer. And while high blood pressure and coronary artery disease affect more people, heart valve disease has become a growing medical issue due to this increased life expectancy.
The heart has four valves which control the flow of blood through the heart. As we age, our heart valves can become lined with calcium deposits that cause the valve flaps to thicken and become stiffer.
One of the heart’s valves, called the mitral valve, is in the left side of your heart between two chambers: the left atrium and the left ventricle. The mitral valve works to keep blood flowing properly in one direction from the left atrium to the left ventricle. It also prevents blood from flowing backward. When the heart contracts, the mitral valve closes to prevent blood from backing up into the lungs.
There are three types of mitral valve disease: stenosis, prolapse, and regurgitation. Stenosis occurs when the valve opening becomes narrow. This means that not enough blood can pass into your left ventricle. Mitral valve prolapse is when the flaps on the valve bulge instead of closing tightly. This might prevent the valve from closing completely, and regurgitation – the backward flow of blood – may occur. Mitral valve regurgitation happens when blood leaks from the valve and flows backward into your left atrium when the left ventricle compresses.
Symptoms of any type of mitral valve disease will usually develop gradually over time and can vary depending on the exact problem with your valve. They might appear or worsen over time or when your body is dealing with extra stress, such as during times of illness. When symptoms do occur, they can include: cough, shortness of breath when lying down or exercising, fatigue, or lightheadedness. Some individuals may also feel pain or tightness in the chest. In some cases, those affected might feel their heart beating irregularly or quickly. Over time, that can lead to serious heart rhythm problems, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and potentially death.
Treatment for mitral valve disease depends on the severity of the condition. Doctors may recommend surgery to repair or replace mitral valves for some people with mitral valve disease. Traditionally, this has been done through open-heart procedures. In the past few years, however, researchers and clinicians have developed newer methods of treating mitral valve disease, with many minimally invasive procedures now available.
Among the benefits of these newer treatment methods are quicker recovery times than traditional surgery. Patients who had once been deemed too frail to undergo an open-heart procedure may now be candidates for treatment.
If you are concerned with, or experience, any of the symptoms of mitral valve disease, be sure to discuss it with your primary care doctor or a cardiologist. The sooner an issue can be diagnosed, the sooner it can be treated for optimum outcomes.