Has anyone with AF been diagnosed with MVR? What is the treatment, can you still have an ablation or perhaps......this may not be needed if the valve is repaired?
To me it does seem pointless having an ablation if the Regurgitation is the cause of AF and this is not addressed first. On the plus side, if a repair is done the AF may resolve itself ?
I was diagnosed as moderate MVR but arrythmia clinic said that as I was in AFIB at the time of the echocardiogram, this may improve after Cardioversion when back in NSR. I haven't been re-scanned so have no idea of the state of play now, NHS U.K will not rush to rescan (I have queried) in the meantime I wonder............
Be interested to hear anyone's experiences. TIA
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sunlovah
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I had mild MVR picked up several years before I developed AF. It is often a contributing factor in AF, and once AF develops, AF can contribute to increasing severity of MVP and left atrial enlargement. Mostly, the progression of MVP is slow and sometimes doesn’t progress very much at all and may never require treatment.
Your options depend entirely on what’s going on with your heart. The best person to answer this is your cardiologist who will be able to look at your scan results and other tests. Valve surgery is major surgery and isn’t recommended unless your regurgitation is severe and critical. Whether an ablation will be less successful with pre-existing MVR is probably difficult to say. If you remain in NSR your valves may work more effectively and any left atrial enlargement may reduce, so you may see an improvement there, but as we know from other peoples’ experiences ablations are not always straightforward or successful first time.
Thank you for your reply. Did you have any surgery for MVR ? It can be done via keyhole now I believe. Waiting to see the Unicorn that is called a 'Cardiologist'.
I don’t really manage my AF. I am intolerant to virtually all of the usual meds. Currently I take Verapamil and Nebivolol and low dose Dabigatran. I have no PIP.
I have an episode which lasts about 48 hours, then three days off and it’s back again. The longest episode has been 5 days.
No ablations because I need to get off of the meds and ablation won’t achieve that.
I am going to have a mini maze in the not too distant future with Mr Hunter. The aim of the surgery is to get me off all meds in 3-6 months after the surgery. Hopefully, then I can get my life back.
I was told by the cardiologist who carried out my ablation, which was for atrial flutter, that mitral valve regurgitation can result from the tachycardia brought on by the arrhythmia. He said it would gradually resolve once my heart rate and rhythm return to normal, which it did, improving my ejection fraction in the process.
I gather, too, that many older people have some degree of it, without much consequence if any, as a 90-year-old friend of mine can attest.
I suspect your ablation will be the key to your feeling much better all around!
I was found to have mild mitral valve regurgitation when I was in my 20’s after being a bit prone to fainting. No further treatment was needed but in 2021 (age 42), I was diagnosed with AF. I was in permanent AF so was booked in for a cardioversion in June 21 after which I had 4-5 blissful days of being free from AF before reverting back. I was booked in for an ablation in November 21 and after 3 month blanking period, realised that it hadn’t worked as o was still burdened with AF. It seemed I had developed Atrial Fluter so was quickly booked in for a third ablation in June 22 and put on Flecanide. This sent my symptoms into a tailspin so after a week or so, I came off it. Flew to Crete for family holiday and 4 days in, I had a cardiac arrest - my heart just stopped but thankfully my husband had broken his routine that day and come back to bed and gave me CPR. I spent about 18 days in Crete and Athens before being airlifted home straight to LHCH and was fitted with an ICD with pacing leads.
The AF has continued to plague me and after trying other meds such as Quinidine, I was booked in for a 4th ablation in Feb 23 where they ablated everywhere. After this I was put on Amiodarone which was amazing for helping with AF but given my age, is not an option long term. After the blanking period, we slowly reduced the dosage but once it was out of my system, AF returned along with its old friend Flutter 🤦🏼♀️
Options now were AV node ablation but I’ve said no to this bc of my age (this is complete reliance on pacemaker and ICD for rest of my life. More drugs which again is not an option so I’m due to have a camera down to look at my mitral valve for further prolapse and if it’s progressed, I’ll be looking at cardiac surgery to fix this and ablate the outside of my heart. None of these are appealing and I’d love to hear other experiences too…..
You’ve really been through some very tough challenges. You may find people with similarly difficult histories on the BHF forum as there’s a bigger cross section of experiences there. I wish you all the best with your treatment and hope the outcome will be good.
Both back ventricles are abnormal. Left is dilated and the other regurglilating.
I can't have an ablation, cardioversion or an anti-arrhymic meds. Structure of heart is abnormal.
In Sept 2019 at 2am (not on any meds) I had a embolic stroke with AF rapid and persistent
Given Metoprolol against my will and 187 H/R Day. Pauses at night. 4th day in hospital and given a carotid arteries scan the scanner checked my thyroid and said that she would call her boss because I had a shadow in right lobe.
In Feb 2020 my thyroid and 12 lymph nodes removed. (2 were affected with the papillary cancer).
After changed t Bisoprolol 1 yr 3 months later only reduced rapid to 156. Always 47 average at night. Over 3 x 24 hr heart monitor.
Left so my new locum said go to this private H/Specialist.
Within 2 hours of a CCB Diltiazem 180mg my rapid H/R fell down to 51 (105 hpm).
Meds twinked my regime is now
Diltiazem 120mg AM control of H/R
Bisoprolol BB 2.5mg PM control of BP
My profile is now.
BP 110-130. /. 69
H/R 60s Day and 47 Night
Energy increasing. I see the young H/Specialist end of November.
BBs and CCBs should be separated.
Patience to find your meds which control as my AF is not rapid but remains persistent.
I was told that most people have at least mild MVR as they get older.Mine is now severe as the AF caused enlargement of the left atrium, which has pulled the annulus of the valve out of shape.
Being put back in NSR 18 months ago hasn't improved the situation so I'm on a waiting list for valve repair surgery. They are also planning to do a Cox VI Maze at the same time to, hopefully, keep AF away for good.
I don't think this would stop you having a normal ablation but it would probably stop you having a hybrid type as the scarring they produce, would make it difficult to do valve surgery, if needed, in the future.
Yes, there is a keyhole op but I don't think it's done everywhere and my surgeon wasn't keen on it when first discussed 18 months ago. I know they have done some since at my hospital so I will have another chat to him about it when I get an idea of a date.
Just make sure that you are well monitored, even if you have to make a nuisance of yourself.
Hi, I had severe regurgitation from mitral valve, so had it repaired through open heart surgery. Looked at key hole but its not common in UK so not many surgeons have much experience, and if there's a problem they still have to open you up. I had an ablation done at same time. 2yrs on and repair seems good, no leaks, no stenosis., chest scar small less than 6 inches.
Your cardio consultant should arrange annual scans to see how leak progresses. I had mine for years and they said it was mild but it seemed to get worst once I got AF.
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