Mitral Regurgitation
Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common valvular anomaly occurring in
approximately 10% of the populace.20 The disease can
be divided into primary and secondary MR. Primary MR is the predominant
form that will occur following myxomatous degeneration – which is the
predominant aetiology, accounting for 2.5% of the world’s population.
Throughout the developing world, rheumatic heart disease remains
widespread.6
Retrograde flow from the left ventricle into the left atrium results in
a cyclic increase in left ventricular volume. Ultimately, ventricular
remodeling occurs in an attempt to maintain cardiac output. Over time,
as the ventricle hypertrophies, the actin-myosin cross-bridges will
stretch, eventually derailing from the point of optimal contractility,
therefore, resulting in a gradual decrease in ejection fraction. As the
ejection fraction deteriorates, the patient will experience heart
failure symptoms.21 Table 1 is a summary of the
different types of mitral disease and their classification.