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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffYou 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. See your doctor if you develop these mitral valve stenosis symptoms:
- Fatigue, especially during times of increased activity
- Shortness of breath, especially with exertion or when you lie down
- Swollen feet or ankles
- Heart palpitations — sensations of a rapid, fluttering heartbeat
- Frequent respiratory infections, such as bronchitis
- Heavy coughing, sometimes with blood-tinged sputum
- Rarely, chest discomfort or chest pain
Mitral valve stenosis symptoms — which may resemble those of other heart or heart valve conditions — may appear or worsen anytime you increase your heart rate, such as during exercise. An episode of rapid heartbeats also may accompany these symptoms. Or they may also be triggered by pregnancy or other stress on your body, such as a respiratory infection or heart infection.
Mitral valve stenosis symptoms usually include those of heart failure, a complication of mitral valve stenosis and other heart problems. In mitral valve stenosis, pressure that builds up in the heart is then sent back to the lungs, resulting in fluid buildup (congestion) and shortness of breath.
Symptoms of mitral valve stenosis most often appear in your 40s and 50s, but they can occur at any age — even during infancy. Depending on the amount of narrowing, an infant or a child with mitral valve stenosis may have no symptoms, may tire easily or may have shortness of breath with vigorous physical activity.
Mitral valve stenosis may also produce a number of signs that only your doctor will be able to find. These may include:
- Heart murmur
- Lung congestion
- Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Blood clots
When to see a doctor
Call your doctor for an immediate appointment if you develop symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath during physical activity, heart palpitations or chest pain.
If you've been diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis but haven't had symptoms, talk to your doctor about recommended follow-up.
- Otto CM. Pathophysiology and clinical features of mitral stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Carabello BA. Valvular heart disease. In: Goldman L, et al., eds. Goldman: Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/148441160-6/860446560/1492/318.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50080-X_3105. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Ferri FF. Mitral stenosis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/148441160-8/860527324/1701/373.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50016-1--cesec452_7951. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Mitral stenosis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch076/ch076f.html. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Sorrentino MJ. Medical management and indications for intervention in mitral stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Sorrentino MJ. Surgical management of mitral stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Am I at risk of developing arrhythmias? American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=562. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Ardehali R, et al. Valvular heart disease. In: Nilsson KR, et al. The Osler Medical Handbook. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/148441160-4/860446560/1387/28.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-03748-8..50017-8_181. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Living with arrhythmia. American Heart Association. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/arr/arr_livingwith.html. Accessed July 3, 2009.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 19, 2009.
