Patient was educated that signs and symptoms of mitral regurgitation can vary from mild to severe depending on the degree of regurgitation, back-flow of blood, and the extent of vital organ compromise.
Patient was educated regarding signs and symptoms are as follows:
- Increased workload of the heart
- Forward pumping of blood through the regurgitating or incompletely closed valve can be difficult due to continuous back-flow of blood into the heart chambers.
- Increased volume of blood in the heart chambers adds extra load to the heart.
- This eventually increases the effort and workload of the heart and so, must be compensated enough by extra blood and oxygen supply.
- But, since blood and oxygen supply is already compromised in an individual with regurgitation due to back-flow, any extra workload on the heart can result in chest pain and discomfort.
- Heart failure
- Progressive back-up of blood can result in symptoms of heart failure and over time, this increased blood volume and pressure in heart can result in enlargement of the heart, progressive weakening of heart muscle, and heart failure. Patients can present with symptoms of heart failure, such as, fluid retention in the chest leading to difficulty in gas exchange in the lungs, swelling of the extremities with pitting edema, and grossly limited exercise tolerance with exacerbation of episodes of shortness of breath. Patients also present with progressively reduced output from the heart and consequently, reduced blood supply to the vital organs.
