Women Can Be More Prone to Types of Mitral Valve Disease

Women can be more prone than men are to certain types of heart valve problems.

The human heart has many different valves that serve as doorways between its chambers, and when one of those doorways isn’t shutting tightly, that’s an issue.

According to Mark Vesely, M.D., board-certified cardiologist with The Heart Center at Mercy, there are several different types of mitral valve disease. Those conditions include mitral valve prolapse and mitral valve regurgitation.

Shortness of breath and fatigue are two of the big symptoms associated with these conditions because a person isn’t pushing as much blood forward as they should be.

“In women, mitral valve prolapse specifically is much more commonly diagnosed in the younger ages, [like the] 20s and 30s. And then, as we get older… more and more [are] people coming in because they’ve developed some shortness of breath or fatigue,” Dr. Vesely said.

Pregnant women sometimes develop a murmur with all the extra blood and then end up getting an echocardiogram, which could show a valve issue. These conditions sometimes do require surgery.

Routine exercise is really important because it provides a constant check-in on one’s health, Dr. Vesely explained. If not addressed, people could end up in heart failure. So, if you experience any of the symptoms, get it checked out by a doctor immediately.

View Mercy cardiologist Dr. Mark Vesely’s interview regarding women and mitral valve disease.