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Back to Cardiovascular Diseases
Mitral valve regurgitation
Definition
The regurgitation of the blood to the left atrium during systole due
to mitral valve incompetence.
Causes
Causes of mitral valve incompetence include
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Conditions affecting the cusps:
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Conditions affecting the Codae tindinae
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Mitral valve prolapse
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Marfan's syndrome.
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Rupture
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Conditions affecting the papillary muscle
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Conditions affecting the mitral ring:
Hemodynamics
Regurgitation of the blood to the left atrium during
systole leads to a subsequent decrease in left ventricular stroke volume
and increased left atrial pressure.
This leads to pulmonary congestion and later pulmonary
arterial hypertension.
During diastole the blood flow across the mitral
valve is increased leading to left ventricular hypertrophy and later on
left ventricular failure.
Treatment
Acute mitral regurge: is treated pre-operatively as
acute pulmonary edema in addition to a peripheral vasodilator to be followed
by urgent surgery (catheterization and valve replacement) in severe cases.
Chronic mitral regurge:
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If
mild & well tolerated then give
prophylaxis against rheumatic fever and infective endocarditis.
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Moderate regurge or symptomatic cases: Digoxin, vasodilators and
diuretics. Anticoagulation if co-existing atrial fibrillation.
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Progressive disease: Surgery which consists of repair
or replacement.

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