Can mitral valve insufficiency cause angina?
Angina is caused by severe ischemia of the coronary arteries, leading to abnormal myocardial metabolism, which results in cardiac angina. Some people may also experience chest tightness, a burning sensation in the precordial area, or various other discomforts. Mitral valve regurgitation can reduce the effectiveness of ventricular ejection. Most cases of mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation do not cause angina. However, severe mitral valve regurgitation, which causes most of the heart’s blood to flow back into the left atrium during contraction, can lead to reduced aortic blood supply. Once the reduction in aortic blood supply reaches a certain level, it may cause symptoms of angina. This is relatively rare, as most cases of mitral valve regurgitation typically present symptoms of cardiac failure such as breathlessness, difficulty breathing, and orthopnea.