heart and blood vessel disorders
Mitral Regurgitation
Introduction
Mitral regurgitation is leakage of blood backward through the mitral valve each time the left ventricle contracts. Disorders directly affecting the mitral valve and heart attack are the most common causes of mitral regurgitation except in places where antibiotics are not readily available to treat streptococcal infections and prevent rheumatic fever. When regurgitation is severe, people may have shortness of breath. Mild regurgitation may not need treatment, but people with more severe regurgitation may need surgery to replace the damaged heart valve. (See also Overview of Heart Valve Disorders and the video The mitral valve is in the opening between the left atrium and the left ventricle. The mitral valve opens to allow blood from the left atrium to fill the left ventricle and closes as the left ventricle contracts to pump blood only out into the aorta and not back into the left atrium. When the mitral valve does not close completely, some blood leaks backward into the left atrium, termed regurgitation.( See also the video.) 