Last year was really a bad year for us. My elder sister was diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis. The doctor said it is severe and she needs a mitral valve replacements. To do that she needs to have an open heart surgery. My sister decided she doesn't want to have open heart surgery because she's scared she might not make it. We respect her decision and just do what we can to have her treated through medications. At least it gives her comfort in breathing.Mitral stenosis is a heart valve disorder that involves a narrowing (stenotic) or blockage of the opening of the mitral valve, which separates the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart. Mitral stenosis prevents the valve from opening properly. This prevents proper blood flow from moving between the left atrium (upper chamber of the heart) and ventricle (lower chamber of the heart). As the valve area becomes smaller, less blood flows forward to the body. The upper heart chamber swells as pressure builds up and blood may flow back into the lungs, resulting in pulmonary edema (fluid in the lung tissue). You will feel tired and experience shortness of breath, among other problems.
The main cause of mitral valve stenosis is a childhood infection called rheumatic fever, which is related to untreated strep infections. Rheumatic fever — once common in the United States and still prevalent in developing countries — often scars the mitral valve. Mitral valve stenosis is treatable in people of all ages. Treatment depends on the severity and progression of your condition and your signs and symptoms. If the condition is severe enough, you may need heart surgery to repair or replace the valve. Left unchecked, mitral valve stenosis can lead to serious heart complications.
You can have mitral valve stenosis and feel well, or you may have only minimal signs and symptoms for decades. However, mild problems can suddenly get worse. Symptoms may include:
1) Fatigue, especially during times of increased activity. 2) Shortness of breath, especially with exertion or when you lie down. 3) Swollen feet or ankles. 4) Heart palpitations — sensations of a rapid, fluttering heartbeat. 5) Frequent respiratory infections, such as bronchitis. 6) Severe coughing, sometimes coughing up blood. 7) Rarely, chest discomfort or chest pain.
Signs and symptoms of mitral valve stenosis — which may resemble those of other heart conditions — may appear or worsen anytime you increase your heart rate, such as during exercise. An episode of rapid heartbeats also may accompany these signs and symptoms. Symptoms can also be triggered by pregnancy or other stress on your body, such as a respiratory infection or heart infection (endocarditis). In mitral valve stenosis, pressure builds up in the left atrium of the heart and is transmitted back to the lungs resulting in fluid buildup (lung congestion) and shortness of breath. Signs and symptoms of mitral valve stenosis often appear between the ages of 20 and 50, but they can occur at any age — even during infancy. Mitral valve stenosis may also produce a number of signs that only your doctor will be able to find. These may include:
1) Heart murmur 2)Lung congestion 3) Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) 4) Pulmonary hypertension 5) Blood clots.
Our heart consists of four chambers. The two upper chambers, the atria, receive blood. The two lower chambers, the ventricles, pump blood. Blood flows through your heart's chambers, aided by four heart valves: Tricuspid valve, Pulmonary valve, Mitral valve, and Aortic valve. These valves open and close to let blood flow in only one direction through your heart. The mitral valve — which lies between the two chambers on the left side of your heart — consists of two triangular-shaped flaps of tissue called leaflets. The leaflets of the mitral valve connect to the heart muscle through a ring of tissue called the annulus. Anchoring the mitral valve to the left ventricle are tendon-like cords, resembling the strings of a parachute, called chordae tendineae cordis. Heart valves open like a trapdoor. The mitral valve is forced open when blood flows from the left atrium into the left ventricle. When all of the blood has gone through the valve, the leaflets swing closed to prevent the blood that has just passed into the left ventricle from flowing backward, in the wrong direction. A defective heart valve can fail to either open or close fully. When a valve doesn't close tightly, blood can flow backward. This backward flow through a valve is called regurgitation (insufficiency). When a valve becomes narrowed and blood flow through it is limited, the condition is called stenosis.
Causes of mitral valve stenosis include:
Rheumatic fever. A complication of strep throat infection, rheumatic fever can damage the mitral valve, leading to mitral valve stenosis later in life. Rheumatic fever is the most common cause of mitral valve stenosis. It can damage the mitral valve in two main ways. The infection may cause the leaflets of the valve to thicken, limiting the valve's ability to open. Or the infection may cause the leaflets of the mitral valve to fuse somewhat together, preventing the valve from opening and closing properly. People with rheumatic fever may develop both mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation. Rheumatic fever is now rare in the developed world thanks to improved antibiotics and other medical care. Congenital heart defect. Some babies are born with a narrowed mitral valve and develop mitral valve stenosis early in life. Babies born with this problem usually require heart surgery to correct the valve. Others are born with a malformed mitral valve that puts them at risk of developing mitral valve stenosis when they're older. In most cases, doctors don't know why a heart valve fails to develop properly in a newborn, infant or child, and it's not something that can be prevented. Congenital mitral valve stenosis is rare - and even rarer as a single defect. It usually occurs as a component of other heart defects present at birth. Medications. Medications to treat migraine headaches, such as ergotamines, can cause mitral stenosis. Pergolide, a medication used for Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome also has been associated with valve problems, including mitral stenosis, and has been removed from the market due to risk of heart valve disease. If you have a heart murmur or a diagnosis of mitral stenosis, you should discuss use of any medications or supplements with your doctor. Other causes. Rarely, growths, blood clots or tumors can block the mitral valve, mimicking mitral valve stenosis. As you age, excessive calcium deposits can build up around the mitral valve, which sometimes causes significant mitral valve stenosis. Radiation treatment to the chest and some medications also may cause mitral valve stenosis.
Now, I'm praying that God will extend her life a little bit longer for her to see her two small daughters grow old enough to take care of themselves. For you my dear sister, We'll do the best that we can to help you with your medications. Just keep your eyes on God, Trust Him and always have faith in Him. I know He will take care of you. He already delivers you from your appendicitis. God is good all the time. Amen.
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