MITRAL INSUFFICIENCY OR INCOMPETENCY
Categories:
Circulatory System
This is the most common valvular
disease. The segments of the valve may be shortened and deformed. There is
often stenosis (narrowing) caused by this deformity. The effects are
regurgitation, flowing back of blood from the left ventricle into the left
auricle, which is also receiving blood from the lungs, causing dilatation
of the auricle and its enlargement to expel the extra blood; dilatation
and other enlargement of the le
t ventricle occurs on account of the large
quantity of blood forced in by the auricle; obstruction to flow of blood
from pulmonary veins due to extra blood in left auricle, hence dilatation
and enlargement of right ventricle which forces blood through the lungs;
dilatation and enlargement of right auricle.
Symptoms. If compensation is slightly disturbed we have blueness
(cyanosis), clubbing of the fingers, hard breathing on exertion, and
attacks of bronchitis and bleeding from the lungs. If compensation is
seriously disturbed we are likely to have the blueness (cyanosis) more
marked, heart beat feeble and irregular, constant hard breathing, with
cough and water or bloody sputum, dropsy in the feet first and going up
and involving the abdomen and chest cavities.