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Lisa Silverman  Tammy I’ve met w/multiple surgeons at this point and never heard this stat before. I’m messaging my cardiologist to fact check.

Adam Pick  Hi Lisa,

I believe Dr. Khan is referencing a mortality rate for severe MR that is not treated for a long, sustained period of time. 

I believe there is data suggesting a 5-year time horizon for mitral regurgitation just as there is research suggesting a 50% mortality rate for a  two-year timeline for severe aortic stenosis without treatment.

That said, I’m not a doctor. So, I’ll ask Dr. Khan.

I can’t imagine your medical team would put you at risk if emergency surgery was required. Make sense?

Best regards, 
Adam

Adam Pick  You can find more information specific to mortality related to severe mitral regurgitation that is not treated at this link - https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/mitral-valve-disease-awareness-week

Adam Pick  More specifically, the research is referenced in Alliance for Aging Research, The Silver Book: Valve Disease, 2018.  Hope that helps!

Richard Munson  Mitral valve prolapse without symptoms is the silent killer. I found my moderate to severe situation during a routine physical . Doctor heard a little noise and scheduled an echo. As luck would have it he was my pcp but had cardiology training or who knows. How many out there never find it. 

J Alexander Lassally  I think those stats are more for the "total do nothing" crowd. Eventually, it gets you. But not applicable to younger patients who still have heart flexibility ! 

Susan Eckermann  Hi Lisa. I am late to the party but I would like to share my story with you. I was diagnosed with severe mitral regurgitation. My HMO doctors told me their plan was "watchful waiting." I didn't have any obvious symptoms but was tiring during exercise/exertion. I sought out a second opinion from a skilled cardiac surgeon. He explained the risks of waiting and advised if I were his patient, he would recommend surgery within 30 days. Thankfully, I was able to change health plans and had surgery about 45 days later. Surgeons gave me a 60-70% chance of successful repair. Thankfully, my surgeon was very skilled and persistent. I was in surgery 7 hours, but had a successful mitral valve repair, pericardial cyst recision, and Maze procedure. My 2 year "valveiversary" is just over a week from now! Unfortunately, my A-fib has recently returned. My cardiologist isn't too concerned and attributes it to stress. But thankfully, my heart is in great shape. I am back to doing everything I was doing prior to my diagnosis. Feel free to read my prior posts, but seriously, the surgery and recovery is manageable. My surgeon explained that one of the reasons my repair was very difficult was because the tissue of my mitral valve was lax ( there is probably a more appropriate medical word for this but I don't know it) likely from the extended severe regurgitation. They ended up trying several different ways to repair it, and ended up excising a large piece of tissue. I wish I had been diagnosed and had my surgery sooner, but thankfully, my skilled surgeon was able to make a successful repair. It just doesn't get better on its own. Best to you. This is a wonderful site with amazing heart warriors and a wealth of information.