Mild Regurgitation – Will I Need Surgery?
October 8th, 2008I just received a concerned email from Maya. It reads, “Dear Adam – Just getting home from the cardiologist. I was diagnosed with mild regurgitation in my mitral valve. I’m 45 and somewhat hysterical as I feel mostly fine. The doctor indicated that surgery may be required in the future. Do most patients with mild regurgitation need surgery?”
Maya raises an interesting topic about the varying degrees of heart valve disease – specifically regurgitation. So you know, the diagnosis of regurgitation ranges from “mild” to “moderate” to “severe”. Several tests, including an echocardiogram of the mitral valve, are used to determine how a diseased valve will impact heart function now and in the future.
That said… Many, many, many (repetition used for emphasis) people have mild regurgitation. Reports suggest that one in twenty people have mitral valve prolapse – a key cause of mild regurgitation. So, to answer Maya’s question, not everyone diagnosed with mild regurgitation has mitral valve repair or mitral valve replacement surgery.
Still, it is critical that patients monitor mild regurgitation and have yearly check-ups with their cardiologists. Whatever you do, please don’t play the “No-Symptom Game”. Often times, patients with mild regurgitation believe that nothing is wrong with them because the common, leaking heart valve symptoms fail to manifest. This can be disastrous as many patients (like me) are asymptomatic.
I hope this helps explain a little more about mild regurgitation and the need for surgery.
Keep on tickin!
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| About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here. |
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