The human heart’s primary function is to pump blood in our organs to make them work properly. But have you ever wondered how blood gets pumped in and out of your organ? Remember 9th-grade biology when we were taught about the Mitral valve? It is vital to help the organ pump blood and keep the flow process smooth in a single direction. Located in the heart’s left, it regulates the left atrium’s blood flow to the left ventricle.
Mitral valve dysfunction occurs as the valves stop working or do not work in a properly regulated manner, which results in a backflow of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium minimizing oxygenated blood flow in your body.
Mitral valve regurgitation
There are several reasons that can cause valve regurgitation. One person can easily attract the illness if that person got a heart attack, inflammation of the valves, or even rheumatic fever, and more.
Other factors like prolapsing of the mitral valve or damage caused to the tissue due to pressure can lead to this valve regurgitation.
Treating the valve regurgitation
The treatment of this particular dysfunction varies from patient to patient, depending upon the illness’s stage and urgency. The patients who go through minor dysfunction in the mitral valve do not need any effective treatments, but people with severe conditions need urgent medical attention and treatments accordingly.
Using medications
The illness and dysfunction can be treated with the proper dosage of drugs and medicines, which primarily works on the symptoms. But there is no such particular medication that works on curing this structural issue. The medications used to ease the symptoms can be listed as:-
- Antiarrhythmics – it treats the abnormality of heart rhythms.
- Anticoagulants – for blood thinning
- Beta-blockers – for slower heart rate
- Diuretics – helps in the reduction of unwanted fluid in the lungs.
Surgery
A cardiologist may offer to operate on a patient depending on the urgency of illness. Mainly the procedure takes place to repair or replace the Mitral Valve in your heart through a process of cut or incision in your chest. While in some cases, cardiologists may perform minimally invasive procedures using a smaller cut, and in some other cases, open-heart surgery can be useful for the treatment.
In some parts of the world, heart doctors use robotic assistants to operate on patients. This procedure makes use of a 3-D video monitor while operating through robotic arms for open-heart surgery.
Mitral valve regurgitation is a problematic disease that can cause serious health issues if untreated for a more extended period. It can be serious and can become a life-threatening issue leading to more complications and heart failures. While some people show active symptoms, some do not, but it is important to consult a doctor through regular check-ups.
