Mitral Valve Disease

It is defined as the disease of heart valve which is located between the left atrium and ventricle, which included mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation, if left untreated it may damage the heart muscles.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms included:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Heart murmur
• Fatigue
• Breathing problems
• Cyanosis

Causes

There are many causes of mitral valve disease, some condition present at birth which is called congenital heart disease, affect the mitral valve particularly. Rheumatic fever is the most common acquired cause of mitral stenosis.

Complications

If left untreated it may cause the following complications:

• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Atrial fibrillation
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Pulmonary edema
• Blood clots

Diagnosis

After taking medical history and conducting a general physical examination your doctor will recommend the following test to diagnosis the condition:

• Chest Xray to see the condition of heart and lungs
• Cardiac MRI to see the detailed images of heart
• ECG to check the electric activity of heart
• Stress test to measure the tolerance of heart muscle on exercise

Treatment

Treatment of mitral valve disease depend upon the severity of conditions, treatment options include:

• Blood thinner to prevent the clot formation
• Maintain healthy lifestyle
• Taking medicine to prevent the complications
• Regular follow-up check-up
• Surgical replacement or repair of mitral valve

Lifestyle and home remedies

Following tips will help to reduce the signs and symptoms:

• Avoid stress
• Eat healthy food
• Maintain healthy weight
• Perform exercise daily
• Avoid smoking
• Limit alcohol consumption