Mitral Regurgitation — What Is Best for My Patient?

Mitral regurgitation is common, with 80% of us having some normal valve leakage detectable on echocardiography. Mild regurgitation is well tolerated and rarely leads to overt clinical disease. However, severe regurgitation overloads the left ventricle as blood is pumped both backward across the mitral valve and forward to the systemic circulation. Over time, volume overload results in ventricular dilatation and eventual contractile dysfunction. In addition, increased left atrial pressure leads to atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension.1 If untreated, these physiological changes lead to heart-failure symptoms and reduced survival. Both can be prevented by an intervention to eliminate mitral regurgitation at . . .