Mitral valve regurgitation is one of the few heart conditions you may unknowingly have for years and learn to live with the affects of this condition before ever being diagnosed. Mitral valve regurgitation occurs when the mitral valve is letting blood leak backward into the upper chambers of the heart. The mitral valve is located between your heart’s two left chambers .
Mitral valve regurgitation, or mitral insufficiency as it is known, is a common heart valve disorder. It is a disorder affecting mainly the circulatory system but it can also affect the respiratory system. Because blood is leaking back into the heart’s chambers, the heart has to work harder to pump this excess blood to the rest of the body. Small leaks are usually not a problem and will not require treatment
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Chronic mitral valve regurgitation is the most commonly seen of the two. Often, patients are not even aware they have the condition. Primary regurgitation occurs when the mitral valve does not work correctly and does not close tightly. Some believe that calcium build up on the valve is one of the main causes of this condition. It can also happen in people who have mitral valve prolapse. Secondary regurgitation means another heart problem has caused the valve to function improperly. Heart failure, which affects the heart muscle, can also cause regurgitation. Acute mitral valve regurgitation can develop rapidly and quickly become life-threatening. This condition occurs when the valve or nearby tissue abruptly ruptures, unlike chronic mitral valve regurgitation’s slow leak. The blood builds up quickly in the left side of the heart’s chambers causing them to rupture
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because they are unable to adapt to the excessive amount of blood, unlike chronic regurgitation where the slow building up allows the heart to adapt. Some common causes of acute regurgitation are Myocardial Infarction, Endocarditis and Cardiomyopathy. This condition