Mitral Stenosis Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Mitral stenosis is a condition when the mitral valve opening narrows. As a result, the circulation of clean blood which is rich in oxygen is also disrupted.
Under normal conditions, clean blood from the lungs will flow from the left atrium of the heart to the ventricle / left chamber of the heart. After that, clean blood is pumped from the heart’s left ventricle to the aorta and circulated throughout the body. In cases of mitral stenosis, not all clean blood from the left atrium can flow into the left ventricle of the heart due to the narrow valve opening.
A frequent complication of this condition is arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, especially a condition called atrial fibrillation. In addition, other complications can occur in the form of weakness, shortness of breath, blood clot formation, pulmonary hypertension (specifically high blood pressure in the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart), and heart failure.
Mitral Stenosis Symptom
Mitral stenosis usually causes the main symptom of shortness of breath, especially when exercising or lying down. Other symptoms can include:
- cough with or without blood
- chest pain
- body feels weak
- swelling of the legs
- lung infection
- fast or irregular heartbeat
- slow growth in children
Mitral Stenosis Reason
The main cause of mitral stenosis is the formation of scar tissue on the mitral valve due to rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever usually occurs when a child or young age. The cause is a streptococcal bacterial infection. Complications that occur from bacterial infection include rheumatic heart disease.
Apart from that, there are other causes such as:
- congenital heart defects
- calcium calcification (adhesion of calcium compounds in body tissues)
- tumor
- blood clot
- radiation treatment
Diagnosis
Usually, cases of mitral stenosis are known from the physical examination. The doctor can detect valve abnormalities which usually cause a murmur (noise) in the heart on the examination.
Investigations with an echocardiogram are also needed to confirm the presence of heart abnormalities. This examination uses sound waves to describe the impression of the heart such as an ultrasound examination in pregnant women. Other supporting examinations such as X-rays, CT- scans, and MRIs can also be done.
Mitral Stenosis Treatment
Treatment is generally not needed in cases of mild mitral stenosis. However, patients with this complaint still need routine checks to monitor the mitral valve.
Patients who experience cases that are severe enough to cause complications must undergo treatment. Treatment of mitral stenosis is by surgery. Medications may be given to help prevent complications and relieve symptoms.
In general, blood thinners are given to prevent blood clots from forming. Diuretics are used to reduce swelling in the body by increasing urine production. Antiarrhythmic drugs are given to control abnormal heartbeats. Moderate beta blocker drugs function to slow the heart rate.
Another treatment option is the valvuloplasty procedure. In this procedure, an instrument called a balloon is inflated to dilate the heart’s mitral valve. However, this procedure can be performed many times.
Prevention
A thorough medical examination or regular check-ups can detect heart problems as early as possible before they become serious conditions. Then, other routine checks can also prevent the worsening of heart valve disease and prevent its complications. However, there is no way that can really prevent the occurrence of this mitral stenosis.