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Stay Informed
HEART VALVE DISEASE

Mitral Regurgitation
(MR)


Mitral regurgitation (MR), or mitral valve regurgitation, is a type of heart valve disease in which the mitral valve does not close properly. Mitral valve regurgitation is also known as a leaky heart valve.

Download the Understanding Mitral Regurgitation brochure to learn more about mitral regurgitation symptoms and treatment options.

You can also learn more about mitral regurgitation, including diagnosis and treatment options, by watching the Mitral Regurgitation video.

Mitral regurgitation places an extra burden on your heart and lungs, and your heart may have to work harder to function normally. The mitral valve is a heart valve that lies between the left atrium and left ventricle.

The valve opens and closes to ensure that blood flows in only one (forward) direction. In mitral regurgitation, the valve does not close completely and blood leaks backward (regurgitates) into the left atrium during contraction.1 The more open the valve remains, the more blood regurgitates and the more severe the problem.

Mitral Regurgitation

MITRAL REGURGITATION
SYMPTOMS

Feeling tired/fatigue is a common symptom of mitral regurgitation.1 In some cases, you may have mitral regurgitation but not experience any signs or symptoms. In other cases, you may experience mitral regurgitation symptoms such as1:

Fatigue

FATIGUE

Heart Palpitations

HEART PALPITATIONS

Dry hacking cough

DRY, HACKING COUGH

Shortness of Breath

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

Fainting

FAINTING

Ankles and Feet swelling

SWOLLEN FEET OR ANKLES


If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of mitral regurgitation, talk to your doctor to receive a thorough examination and proper diagnosis. You should also promptly seek treatment if you notice that your symptoms are getting worse—for example, if the swelling in your feet and ankles has increased or if you find it more difficult to perform daily activities such as walking up the stairs.

One type of mitral regurgitation is called primary mitral regurgitation (also called degenerative). It is caused by an abnormality in the mitral valve itself. Primary MR can be related to age, a valve abnormality present from birth, heart disease, coronary artery disease, or a history of rheumatic fever.

The other type is called secondary mitral regurgitation (or functional mitral regurgitation). It is caused by heart disease that leads to an enlarged left ventricle, which prevents the valve from closing properly. This enlarging of the ventricle is most common in heart failure patients.

Primary Mitral Regurgitation

Primary MR 

A faulty valve does not close properly or completely, allowing blood to flow backward into the left atrium.

Secondary Mitral Regurgitation

Secondary MR

Abnormalities in the left ventricle distort and pull the leaflets apart.

Mitral regurgitation places an extra burden on your heart and lungs. Over time, some people may develop an enlarged heart because it has to work harder to pump blood through the body. If it is not treated, mitral regurgitation can cause other, more serious problems with your heart, such as heart failure. This is a condition that occurs when your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of your body.1

MITRAL REGURGITATION TREATMENT

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mitral regurgitation, it’s important to seek timely treatment since the condition gets worse over time. Your doctor will discuss the best treatment option for you. Learn about mitral regurgitation treatment options.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

MAT-2304817 v2.0 | Item approved for U.S. use only.

References
  1. Mayo Clinic. Mitral valve regurgitation. Accessed March 15, 2023. www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mitral-valve-regurgitation/symptoms-causes/syc-20350178
Important Safety Information

WHAT IS MITRACLIP™ THERAPY APPROVED FOR?
Available by prescription only.

MitraClip therapy is a minimally invasive procedure approved for treating patients with clinically significant mitral regurgitation due to either (a) a deteriorated mitral valve in patients who are deemed to be at prohibitive risk for surgery, or (b) mitral valve in patients who have heart failure and an enlarged heart who remain symptomatic on maximally tolerated medications to treat their heart failure.

Patients should work with their doctor and a multidisciplinary heart team, which should include a heart surgeon and cardiologist with experience treating heart failure, to confirm their surgical risk or optimal medications. The heart team will determine if the patient meets the indications for the MitraClip procedure.

WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE THE MITRACLIP PROCEDURE?

Patients that have any of the following conditions should not have the MitraClip Procedure: inability to tolerate or are allergic or hypersensitive to anti coagulants, anti-platelet therapies, nickel, titanium, cobalt, chromium, polyester, or contrast dye; have inflammation or rheumatic disease of the valve; have blood clots inside the heart or blood vessels (inferior vena cava, femoral vein), or have mitral valve anatomy which is deemed not suitable for repair with Mitraclip.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO ME DURING THE MITRACLIP PROCEDURE?

As with most medical procedures, MitraClip Implant placement has risks, including inappropriate device placement, device movement from its implanted site, and failed or difficult delivery or retrieval of the device once implanted. Your physician will determine if you fall within the labeled indication for the MitraClip Procedure.

WHO IS MORE AT RISK DURING THE MITRACLIP PROCEDURE?

Even though MitraClip Therapy is a minimally invasive medical procedure, it carries risks, and some patients may be at a higher risk than others. If you have either a weak heart that may need support during the procedure or a rotated heart from prior heart surgery, talk to your doctor to weigh the additional risks to the benefits of the MitraClip Procedure as the safety and effectiveness has not been tested in these patients.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MITRACLIP PROCEDURE?

The MitraClip Procedure carries risks which include, but are not limited to: Allergic reactions to the implant materials or medications used during or after the procedure; Tissue damage at the puncture (entry site such as wound reopening, reaction to the catheter, bleeding, air bubbles, tissue or nerve injury; Inflammation, buildup of fluid or blood in the sac surrounding the heart, and complications that may require more interventions or heart surgery; Mitral valve complications including device dislodgement, entanglement with chords, narrowing of the mitral valve, continuing backflow of blood through the mitral valve during heart contraction, and inflammation; Abnormal heart rhythm, stroke (resulting from blood clot or burst vessel in the brain or transient stroke, high or low blood pressure; Multiple organ failure, death, pain; Complications related to the echocardiographic imaging such as irritation or perforation of the throat.

Talk to your doctor to learn more about the risks associated with MitraClip Therapy, and ask for the detailed Important Safety Information if you'd like to review the full list of complications.

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MAT-2302755 v5.0  |   Item approved for U.S. use only.

Step 1

To implant the device, your doctor inserts a narrow tube into a vein in your upper leg.

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