Overview

What is Mitral valve stenosis?

Mitral valve stenosis is the narrowing of the mitral valve between the two chambers on the left side of the heart. In these conditions, the openings through which blood tries to pass from the left atrium into the left ventricle and the upper and lower chambers of the left side are narrow.

The mitral valve could be described as a door. Usually, the door opens fully to ensure unrestricted blood flow. However, the door only partially opens due to mitral stenosis, restricting blood flow.

What are the symptoms of mitral valve stenosis?

Adults may be asymptomatic. Symptoms can first appear or become more apparent with exercise or other activities that raise the heart rate. They most typically occur during periods 20 to 50.

It may begin with an attack of atrial fibrillation (if it develops a rapid heart rate). The symptoms can also be precipitated by pregnancy or any other illness that exerts pressure on the body, like heart and lung infections or other heart diseases.

The symptoms can appear in the following way:

There can be chest pain accompanied by aches during exercise that spreads to the arm, neck, jaw, or other body parts.
Coughing up blood laced with sputum
Chest pain during exercise or upon rest after exercise.
Triggers by or upon experiencing shortness of breath or when lying down.
Exhaustion
Recurring bronchitis
The person can feel his heartbeat in his chest.
There is swelling on the feet or ankles.

In infants and children, symptoms are manifest at birth. They will have this often in conjunction with the first two experiences in life. Usually, the symptoms are

Gambling and coughing
Very poor time feeding or sweating during feeding
Poor growth
Shortness of breath

What causes mitral valve stenosis?

The most common cause of mitral valve stenosis is rheumatic fever, a complication of untreated strep throat. Other factors might also cause this disease:

More common in developing countries, it causes scarring and thickening of the mitral valve due to rheumatic fever.
Calcification: This is an increase in age, and the calcium stores accumulate on the valve that causing constriction.
Congenital heart defects: A few people are born with a narrowed mitral valve.
Infectious endocarditis: Infection of the heart valves damages the mitral valve.
Radiation therapy: In a few cases, chest radiation therapy affects the valve.
Autoimmune diseases: Lupus and others cause mitral valve disease.

What are the diagnoses and tests for mitral valve stenosis?

The doctor will listen to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope. A murmur, snap, or other abnormal heart sound may be heard. Most heart murmurs have a growling quality that is heard over the heart when it is in its resting phase of the heartbeat. The sound usually gets louder just before the heart begins to contract.

Apart from demonstrating the existence of a heart murmur, the examination may even indicate irregular heartbeat or lung congestion. Blood pressure is often reported.

The narrowing or obstruction of the valve or mass of the upper chambers of the heart or their complications may be appreciated in:

Chest x-ray
Echocardiogram
ECG (electrocardiogram)
MRI or CT of the heart
Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)

How do you manage mitral valve stenosis?

The treatment is symptomatic and depends upon the condition of the heart and lungs. In a few, no treatment may be necessary due to minimal or even absent symptoms. If the symptoms are severe, hospitalization for diagnosis and treatment may be required.

Medicines-

Medicines that can be prescribed to help reduce heart failure and hypertension symptoms and to slow down or control heart rates include:

Diuretics or water pills
Nitrates, beta-blockers
Calcium channel blockers
ACE inhibitors
Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)
Digoxin
Heart Rhythmic Drugs
Anticoagulants- prevent the formation of blood clots and their travel into the other part of the body
Antibiotics may be needed in some cases of mitral stenosis. Patients who have ever experienced rheumatic fever may require long-term, preventive antibiotic therapy that is similar to penicillin.

In the old days, most patients with heart valve diseases received antibiotics before dental procedures or any invasive investigation, such as a colonoscopy. The antibiotics were given to combat an infection of the damaged heart valve. Nowadays, antibiotics are used much less frequently. You should discuss this with your healthcare provider. You may require heart surgery or one of the following procedures:

Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy, or valvuloplasty-

This procedure involves inserting one of the veins, usually in the leg, with a catheter. It is gently advanced toward the heart. At the other end of the catheter, there's a balloon, which is inflated, and this expands and opens the mitral valve so blood flow can be created. This treatment may be tried instead of surgery in patients whose mitral valve is not as severely damaged (especially if the valve does not err much). Indeed, if successful, this treatment may have to be repeated months or years later.

Surgical repair or replacement of the mitral valve-

Valve replacements can be made of many different materials. Some can remain effective for decades, while others fail and need to be replaced.

Most of the kids need surgical repair of either the mitral valve, either by fixing it or replacing it.

What do I do if I have mitral valve stenosis?

The disease is variable. The patient may be asymptomatic in some cases, whereas symptoms can appear disablingly over time. In some severe cases, potential complications are life-threatening. However, the majority of cases can be controlled by the therapy of the individual. When improved, it is time for valvuloplasty or surgery to be performed.

How can a person prevent themself from getting mitral valve stenosis?

The likelihood of contracting endocarditis increases if individuals have improper or diseased heart valves. This is because of anything that presents an opportunity for you to allow bacteria in your blood. To prevent this issue, you should do the following:

Avoid unsanitary injections.
Treat strep infections promptly to minimize the chances of developing rheumatic fever.
Inform your doctor or dentist if you have a history of heart valve disease or any congenital heart disease before undergoing any form of treatment.
Patients may need antibiotics before dental procedures or surgery.

Living With

How can I stay healthy?

Your doctor may advise you to live with mitral valve stenosis through periodic testing and assessment, avoid certain types of physical activity, follow a low-sodium diet, and take medications to treat hypertension, control the heart rhythm, or prevent complications such as heart failure, stroke, or hypertension. It depends upon the severity.

Why Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Mitral Valve Stenosis?

Tender Palm Hospital has the most experienced team of Cardiologists, Cardiac Surgeons, and diagnostics with the latest and International standard infection control measures in Lucknow, India. The Cardiac Science Centre team has decades of experience in successfully treating Mitral Valve Stenosis.