What is the Treatment for Mitral Valve Insufficiency and What Types of Surgery are Performed?
The mitral valve controls the flow of blood from the left atrium to the left ventricle, but it may fail to perform this function due to mitral valve insufficiency. Mitral valve insufficiency refers to the backward leakage of blood due to the valve not closing completely. Excessive backward leakage of blood causes the heart to work harder and, consequently, become fatigued. Furthermore, the rate of progression of mitral insufficiency depends on many variables, such as age, genetics, and environmental factors.
Conditions that can lead to mitral insufficiency include rheumatic fever, heart attack, thickening of the heart muscle, mitral valve prolapse, infections, and congenital abnormalities.
The method of mitral treatment is determined by considering the symptoms and the patient’s health status.
Treatment options include:
Drug Therapy
Heart failure treatment: Heart failure is controlled using ACE inhibitors, ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) or diuretics (water pills).
Rhythm control: Antiarrhythmic drugs are used in cases of arrhythmia.
Anticoagulants: Blood-thinning medications may be used in cases of atrial fibrillation or when there is a high risk of clot formation.
Surgical Treatment
Mitral valve repair: This method aims to correct the valve structure to support or reshape it, providing a permanent solution.
Mitral valve replacement: This method is used when the mitral valve cannot be repaired. Options include bioprosthetic and mechanical valves; biological valves have a shorter lifespan than mechanical valves and require less anticoagulant therapy.
Transcatheter mitral valve repair: This can be used as an alternative to surgical intervention.
Observation and Follow-up
Regular follow-up of patients during treatment is important for improving their quality of life. In addition, the treatment plan should be reformulated in cases such as deterioration of valve function.
In conclusion, the treatment method for mitral insufficiency may vary depending on many factors, such as symptoms, mitral valve function, the patient’s quality of life, the type of mitral insufficiency (primary or secondary), and the patient’s risk of surgical complications. Medication may be sufficient for the treatment of the disease, or surgery may be required.
