Mitral Regurgitation: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

When the mitral valve, a one-way gate between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. Also known as bicuspid valve, it ensures blood flows forward with each heartbeat. But when it leaks — a condition called mitral regurgitation — blood flows backward into the lungs, forcing the heart to work harder. This isn’t just a minor glitch; untreated, it can lead to heart failure, a condition where the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs or irregular heart rhythms.

Mitral regurgitation can show up suddenly after a heart attack or infection, or creep in slowly over years. Common causes include worn-out valve tissue, stretched valve rings, or damage from rheumatic fever. In older adults, it’s often tied to degeneration — the valve just wears out. Some people never feel symptoms, while others get winded climbing stairs, feel fatigued, or notice their heart racing or fluttering. A doctor might hear a heart murmur during a checkup, but the real diagnosis comes from an echocardiogram, a non-invasive ultrasound that shows the heart’s structure and blood flow in real time. That test tells you how bad the leak is, whether the heart is struggling, and what to do next.

Treatment depends on how severe it is and how much it’s affecting your life. Mild cases often need nothing more than regular monitoring. If symptoms appear or the heart starts enlarging, medications like diuretics or blood pressure pills can help reduce strain. But if the leak is severe and the heart is weakening, surgery may be the only way to stop damage. Repairing the valve — fixing the leaflets or ring — is better than replacing it, when possible. Replacement valves can be mechanical or biological, each with trade-offs in durability and lifelong medication needs. Newer, less invasive options like transcatheter mitral valve repair are now available for high-risk patients who can’t handle open-heart surgery.

You won’t find every detail about mitral regurgitation in one place, but what you’ll see below is real, practical, and focused on what matters: how it’s diagnosed, what treatments actually work, and how to live with it. Some posts cover how it connects to other heart conditions. Others explain what your echo results really mean. A few talk about managing symptoms while waiting for surgery. There’s no fluff — just clear, grounded info from people who’ve been there, and the science behind it.