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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause rheumatic fever is a risk factor for developing mitral valve regurgitation, if you have a severe sore throat you should see a doctor. Untreated strep throat can lead to rheumatic fever. Fortunately, strep throat is easily treated with antibiotics.
If you have high blood pressure, it's important to make sure it's well controlled to prevent mitral regurgitation.
If you have an abnormal valve, such as mitral valve prolapse, it's important to seek medical care if you develop a fever or signs or symptoms of an infection of your heart tissue (endocarditis).
If you have mitral valve regurgitation, talk to your doctor about the frequency of follow-up examinations and have your doctor regularly check the amount of regurgitation through regular physical examinations and follow-up echocardiograms when needed.
- Gaasch WH. Overview of the management of chronic mitral regurgitation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 14, 2009.
- Otto CM. Etiology, clinical features, and evaluation of chronic mitral regurgitation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 14, 2009.
- Heart valves. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4598. Accessed July 14, 2009.
- Nishimura RA. ACC/AHA guideline update on valvular heart disease: Focused update on infective endocarditis. Circulation. 2008;118:887.
- Bonow RO, et al. ACC/AHA 2006 Guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: Executive summary a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2006;114:450.
- Gaasch WH. Indications for and types of corrective surgery in severe chronic mitral valve regurgitation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 14, 2009.
