Patients

When the mitral valve leaks, the whole heart works harder.

Mitral regurgitation is one of the most common valvular heart diseases. The mitral valve separates the left atrium and left ventricle, and with each beat, it should close completely so blood moves in one direction. When it fails to seal, blood leaks backward into the left atrium, and the heart must work harder to maintain forward flow.

That burden compounds over time. Patients develop breathlessness, reduced exercise capacity, and a declining quality of life, and severe untreated disease is associated with repeat hospitalization and higher mortality. It is progressive, but when caught early, its course can be changed.

In its most common form, functional mitral regurgitation, the leaflets themselves are normal. The disease arises in the surrounding heart: as the left atrium or ventricle enlarges or changes shape, the leaflets are pulled apart and can no longer close.