Types of Mitral Valve Disease
Mitral Valve Regurgitation – Mitral valve regurgitation (also called mitral insufficiency)
occurs when the flaps (leaflets) of the mitral valve weaken, causing blood
to leak backward into the heart. For mild cases, treatment may not be
necessary. However, in moderate to severe cases, surgery may be recommended
to either repair or replace the damaged valve. Left untreated, severe
mitral valve regurgitation can cause heart failure or serious heart rhythm
problems.
Mitral Valve Stenosis – Mitral valve stenosis occurs when the heart's mitral valve
is narrowed due to the valve becoming stiff or scarred, or the valve flaps
partially joining together. This results in the valve not opening as widely
as it should, which causes poor blood flow and may result in blood baking
up into the lungs. Left untreated, mitral valve stenosis can lead to serious
heart complications.
Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) – The most common cause of mitral valve regurgitation is mitral valve
prolapse. This occurs when the flaps (leaflets) of the mitral valve bulge
back into the left atrium as the heart contracts. Moderate or severe mitral
regurgitation can cause weakness of the heart muscle, known as congestive
heart failure.