Women’s Increased Risk for Mitral Stenosis

Women are more likely than men to develop a certain type of heart valve disease called mitral stenosis. It is important for women to be aware of their increased risk and know the signs and symptoms of valve disease so it can be diagnosed and treated early.

Women and mitral stenosis
Mitral stenosis is a narrowing or blockage of the mitral valve, which causes blood to flow backward into the left atrium of the heart rather than forward and down into the left ventricle. Three times more women than men have mitral stenosis, making it important for women to know their risk factors and recognize the signs that may indicate they suffer from this disease.

In adults, mitral stenosis occurs most often in those who have had rheumatic fever. However, this disease is becoming rare in the U.S. making mitral stenosis less common. Other factors that may cause mitral stenosis include calcium deposits forming around the mitral valve, radiation treatment to the chest, congential heart defects and some medications.

Treating mitral stenosis
Treatment depends on the patient’s symptoms and current health condition. For some, medications such as blood thinners may control the symptoms of their mitral stenosis, while others may require surgical repair or replacement of their mitral valve. When possible, valve repair is preferred to preserve the patient’s own heart valve and avoid life-long blood thinning therapy.

“Nearly 85 percent of the patients we see are good candidates for valve repair,” said W. Clark Hargrove III, MD, clinical director of cardiovascular surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. “Even if patients are not having symptoms, we can repair the valve before they begin to experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations or an enlarged heart.”

Valve repair advantages include:

• Increased long-term survival
• Decreased risk of infection and complications
• Less likely need for long-term use of blood thinners

Minimally invasive mitral valve repair at Penn Medicine

Penn cardiovascular surgeons are revolutionizing mitral valve repair and offer the least-invasive surgical approach available today, port-access mitral valve repair. Through a small chest incision, the surgeon uses direct vision via a video camera to repair the valve.

The benefits of minimally invasive surgical approaches include less scarring, reduced post-operative pain, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times.

The cardiologists and surgeons of Penn’s Heart Valve Disease Program are world leaders in treating all types of heart valve disease, including patients with advanced disease, and use the latest technology and techniques available.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call
800-789-PENN (7366) or visit the Penn Medicine Web site.

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