complications
Last reviewed 11/2021
Possible complications include:
- ventricular ectopics - these are common, but ventricular tachycardia, fibrillation and sudden death are rare.
- atrial fibrillation - this occurs with increasing age and left atrial enlargement.
- thrombo-embolism - this is a rare complication.
- infective endocarditis - this occurs more frequently with mild mitral regurgitation than with any other lesion (approx. 5%).
- chordal rupture - this occurs in a small proportion of patients with prolapsing valves. This condition causes a sudden increase in mitral regurgitation and left ventricular failure which is often transient.
- pulmonary hypertension - this is less common in mitral regurgitation than mitral stenosis. It is more frequent in patients with small left atria.