Mitral stenosis

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Overview Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Mitral stenosis

No treatment may be necessary if symptoms are absent or mild. Hospitalization may be required for diagnosis and for treatment of severe symptoms.

Medications include diuretics (water pills), nitrates, or beta-blockers. Digoxin may be used to treat atrial fibrillation. Blood thinners are used to prevent blood clots from forming and traveling to other parts of the body. Heart valve surgery to repair or replace the valve is usually necessary if there are serious symptoms.

Balloon valvuloplasty may be considered instead of surgery. This procedure entails placing a balloon into the mitral valve through a catheter that is inserted into a leg vein. The balloon is then inflated, widening the mitral valve and improving blood flow.

The outcome varies. The disorder may be mild, without symptoms, or may be more severe and eventually disabling. Complications may be severe or life threatening. Mitral stenosis is usually controllable with treatment and improved with valvuloplasty or surgery.

• Pulmonary edema
• Atrial fibrillation
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Right-sided heart failure
• Stroke
• Emboli (migration of clot) to the intestines, kidneys, or other areas

Call your health care provider if symptoms suggest mitral stenosis.

Call your health care provider if you have mitral stenosis and symptoms do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms appear.

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