Does mitral valve insufficiency affect heart rate?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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In order to maintain the vital signs of the human body, the heart must have a fixed cardiac output to ensure the blood supply and nourishment of the body, therefore the cardiac output is definite as per the body's needs. When there is severe mitral valve regurgitation, it causes a decrease in the stroke volume. As a compensation, while the stroke volume decreases, in order to ensure the body's blood supply and nourishment, the heart accelerates its beating to maintain the supply of output. Therefore, patients with mitral valve regurgitation often experience symptoms of tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, and palpitations after exercising. This means that our heart rate after exercise will be faster than in people without mitral valve regurgitation, thus mitral valve regurgitation affects the heart rate.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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How to treat calcification of mitral valve regurgitation?

Mitral valve regurgitation with calcification indicates the onset of calcification in this condition, though this alone does not necessarily indicate a problem. However, mitral valve regurgitation should still be actively treated. Early or mild cases can lead to pathological changes in the heart, particularly when there is excess pressure on the mitral valve, left ventricle, or left atrium. This may cause symptoms like palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. Sometimes, medications to dilate blood vessels, strengthen the heart, and promote urination may be necessary to reduce cardiac load and improve symptoms.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Why does mitral valve regurgitation cause left ventricular hypertrophy?

Mitral valve insufficiency leads to left ventricular hypertrophy. This occurs because when the mitral valve does not close fully, the contraction of the ventricles often causes the blood in the left ventricle to flow back into the left atrium, resulting in a significant increase in the blood volume of the left atrium. When the ventricles relax the next time, the left ventricle receives a large amount of blood from the left atrium, as well as the remaining original blood. This causes a significant increase in the capacity and load of the left ventricle, and over time leads to enlargement and hypertrophy of the left ventricle. This condition eventually leads to the appearance of symptoms of heart failure, causing the patient to repeatedly experience difficulty in breathing.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Why does mitral valve insufficiency cause left ventricular hypertrophy?

The mitral valve is an important structure within the left ventricular system; it serves as the necessary channel for blood from the left atrium to enter the left ventricle. Normally, this channel allows for unidirectional flow. However, when mitral valve insufficiency occurs, blood flows back from the left ventricle to the left atrium. This leads to an increase in cardiac work, reduces the efficiency of the heart’s function, and causes hypertrophy due to overuse of the left ventricle. When the mitral valve closes to a certain extent, it can lead to an enlargement of the left ventricle. This is why mitral valve insufficiency can cause enlargement of the left ventricle, primarily because it increases ineffective work, leading to an increased cardiac load.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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What to do about chronic cough due to mitral valve insufficiency?

If the patient exhibits mitral regurgitation, this condition falls under cardiac valvular diseases. If the patient frequently experiences coughing and expectorating phlegm, it indicates a certain level of inflammatory infection. It is recommended for the patient to undergo a chest CT scan for an effective confirmation of the cause, which will then determine the treatment plan. For simple mitral stenosis, symptomatic treatment is currently the primary approach, using medications to address heart failure or ischemia and hypoxia. Early treatment is advised to alleviate the current state of ischemia and hypoxia. Persistent coughing and expectorating phlegm indicate inflammation, necessitating the use of antibiotics.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Is mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation serious?

If the patient has a history of mitral valve insufficiency, especially in moderate cases, it is considered quite severe. The current treatment mainly focuses on symptomatic treatment to improve the patient's cardiopulmonary function. If the patient experiences palpitations, chest tightness, or difficulty breathing, sometimes intravenous therapy is required to alleviate the current condition. Because for congenital heart disease or rheumatic heart disease, the treatment primarily involves strengthening the heart, diuresis, vasodilation, symptomatic treatment, and management. If not treated and managed promptly, the disease could worsen, and the patient may also develop swelling in both lower limbs.