Mitral Regurgitation

Question 1

Mitral valve has 2 leaflets. What is mitral valve regurgitation

Answer 1

When the mitral valve doesn’t close fully in systole, so some blood leaks back into LA

Question 2

What is the most common cause of mitral valve regurgitation

Answer 2

Mitral valve prolapse - may be connected to connective tissue disorders e.g. Marfans syndrome / Ehlers Danlos syndrome

A phenomenon called myxomatous degeneration occurs where the connective tissue involving the valve is weakened

Other causes include: LHF - LV dilatation, rheumatic fever,

Question 3

What are the signs and symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation

Answer 3

Usually asymptomatic but sometimes there is a pansystolic murmur with a mid systolic click

Question 4

How does squatting and standing affect the mitral valve regurgitation murmur

Answer 4

When squatting, the mid systolic click comes later and the murmur is shorter

When standing, the mid systolic click comes earlier and the murmur is longer

Question 5

LHF can be a cause of mitral regurgitation. But Mitral regurgitation can also be a cause of LHF. How?

Answer 5

Some blood pumped back into atrium so increased preload. Hence inefficiency causes volume overload, so heart compensates through eccentric hypertrophy