cardiomyopathy/reguritative mitral prolapse valve - Heart Disorders Message Board

lisaj 77 · 07-29-2007, 04:57 PM

Hi,
A friend of mine was dx with cardiomyopathy and reguritative mitral prolapse valve last October. At that point, his heart function rate 25--he was in cardiac failure. He was given beta blockers and given a heart catherization as well as EEGs. Within a few months, his heart function rate was 50--close to normal.
He still, however, has problematic symptoms--shortness of breath, occasional pain extending into his arm, arrhythmia. He was told by his doctors that because his numbers are now "good", to not worry about these things.
I'm worried.
I spoke with a friend, who's a doctor (not a cardiologist, but he's studied cardiology a bit in school, while it's not his speciality) who said that reguritative mitral prolapse valve is unusual in men and if he still has those symptoms, he DEFINITELY should have a second opinion, since he's at risk for going into cardiac arrest. He might be a candidate for a bypass.
My friend, partially in denial, has been stalling and refusing the 2nd opinion.
Does anyone know a bit about this stuff? Should I be worried?

huckfinn · 07-29-2007, 08:16 PM

You have touched on a broad range of subjects having to do with heart disease. A person that needs a bypass has coronary artery disease (CAD) or blockages within his/her coronary arteries. This does not necessarily mean that this person has cardiomyopathy.

It can lead to cardiomyopathy, if a person has a heart attack that damages a large portion of the heart, or has chronic CAD over a period of time and somehow does not have a heart attack. When the coronary arteries are blocked the heart muscle does not receive enough blood through these blocked arteries. Usually this causes a heart attack.

Cardiologist can stent a patient enough to keep him/her alive, but still their heart changes due to areas of the heart muscle not receiving adequate blood supply. This can cause chronic, or congestive heart failure, and/or cardiomyopathy.

CAD is treated with medicines such as statins and beta blockers, and stents are inserted to deal with/remove the blockages. If that fails and the coronary arteries become diseased or blocked again (and again), then the next option is usually bypass.

Mitral valve regurgitation (MVR) is leakage past the mitral valve and if the leakage is bad enough, the condition can lead to heart disease or failure. Usually the mitral valve is repaired or replaced before heart failure occurs.

Pain in the chest that radiates down the arm can be an ominous sign if it is due to coronary artery blockage, and that is the main reason for this pain called angina. Another cause of angina is coronary artery spasms.

Good luck to you and your friend

lisaj 77 · 07-29-2007, 08:36 PM

Thanks for the reply.
My friend definitely does not have CAD. I, obviously, got the terminology wrong. What the doctor friend told me was a valve replacement. My friend doesn't have any clogged arteries--they found that out in the heart catheterization.
He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and regurgitative mitral prolapse valve and placed on the beta blockers. In fact, at the time of his diagnosis , his heart was really enlarged.
Question: should he still be having the symptoms--the shortness of breath, arhythmia and radiating arm pains (those pains come and go)--if he's on the beta blockers and do they indicate he still has a problem that needs looking into --either a stent or replacement valve?
Question: are these symptoms serious?
Question: can regurgitative mitral prolapse valve lead to cardiomyopathy?
thanks again everyone.

huckfinn · 07-29-2007, 10:04 PM

Mitral valve regurgitation (MVR) is leakage past the mitral valve and if the leakage is bad enough, the condition can lead to heart disease or failure. Usually the mitral valve is repaired or replaced before heart failure occurs.

lisaj 77 · 07-29-2007, 10:07 PM

thanks--well his wasn't repaired or replaced.
does the fact that he's still got shortness of breath mean it's a problem?