Patient was educated that signs and symptoms of mitral regurgitation can vary from mild to severe depending on the degree of regurgitation and the extent of obstruction to the blood return. Signs and symptoms are as follows:
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
- Reduced output of blood from the left heart into the general circulation, results in low blood pressure and result in hypotensive symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness.
- Tachycardia
- This could be a compensatory response to the low blood pressure.
- Chest pain and discomfort
- Increased heart rate demands extra blood and oxygen supply.
- But, since blood and oxygen supply is already compromised in an individual with regurgitation, due to the back flow of blood, any extra workload on the heart makes chest pain and an episode of myocardial infarction more likely, damaging the heart muscle.
- Angina or chest pain could be secondary to the reduced blood supply to the cardiac muscle, along with all the other vital organs of the body.
- This is due to an overall reduction in the blood flow out of the heart.
- Murmur
- Patients can present with regurgitation murmur of the heart that is heard clearly on auscultation of the chest.
