Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Overview

The mitral valve is one of four valves that regulate blood flow through the heart. More specifically, the mitral valve controls flow from the left upper chamber of your heart (left atrium) to the left lower chamber (left ventricle). In a healthy heart, once the blood flows to the left ventricle, the mitral valve seals shut so that when the left ventricle contracts, the blood is pumped out only through the aortic valve out to the body, as it should be, and can’t flow back into the left atrium.

Mitral valve regurgitation (also known as mitral valve insufficiency) refers to when the flaps of the mitral valve, called leaflets, no longer seal properly in between heartbeats and allow blood to leak “backward” to the left atrium.