Mitral Stenosis

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Mitral stenosis is a disease that leads to narrowing of the mitral valve in your heart. Your heart has four chambers (spaces), including two upper atria and two lower ventricles. Your mitral valve is the door between the left atrium and left ventricle. Your mitral valve opens and closes to direct blood flow through the left side of your heart. Mitral stenosis happens when the valve leaflets (flaps) get thicker and stiffer. The valve opening becomes smaller, making it harder for blood to move into the left ventricle. Blood flow through your heart may be decreased, and your heart may not pump enough blood to your body.
  
  
• Mitral stenosis may occur from a condition called rheumatic fever. Stenosis can also be caused by calcium build-up on the mitral valve leaflets. Some people with mitral stenosis were born with a damaged mitral valve. Symptoms may only appear when the stenosis becomes severe (very bad). You may feel tired or short of breath when doing your normal activities. You may feel like your heart is fluttering or jumping in your chest. Tests, such as an EKG, chest x-ray, or echocardiogram may be done to diagnose your mitral stenosis. Treatment includes medicines to decrease your symptoms, and surgery to repair (fix) the stenosis. Having your mitral stenosis treated may improve your ability to be active without tiring so easily. Your symptoms, such as shortness of breath may go away.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take your medicine as directed:

Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not working as expected. Tell him if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a current list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when, how, and why you take them. Take the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists.

• Antibiotic medicine: This medicine helps prevent or fight an infection caused by germs called bacteria. You may need antibiotic medicine if you had rheumatic fever in the past to prevent getting it again. You may need to take the medicine every day, or once a month. When you have a man-made valve, you may need to take antibiotic medicine when having medical procedures. This includes before and after having dental work or surgery. The antibiotic medicine will help prevent germs from causing an infection in your heart. Ask your caregiver if, or when you need to take antibiotic medicine.
  
  
• Aspirin to stop blood clots: Aspirin helps thin the blood to keep blood clots from forming. If you are told to take aspirin, do not take acetaminophen or ibuprofen instead. Do not take more or less aspirin than directed. This medicine makes it more likely for you to bleed or bruise.
  
  
• Blood thinners: Blood thinners are medicines that help prevent blood clots from forming. Clots can cause strokes, heart attacks, and death. Blood thinners make it more likely for you to bleed or bruise. If you are taking a blood thinner:
  
  
  • Watch for bleeding from your gums or nose. Watch for blood in your urine and bowel movements. Use a soft washcloth on your skin and a soft toothbrush on your teeth. This can keep your skin and gums from bleeding. If you shave, use an electric shaver. Do not play contact sports, such as football.
    
    
  • Be aware of what medicines you take. Many medicines cannot be used when taking medicine to thin your blood. Tell your dentist and other caregivers that you take blood-thinning medicine. Wear or carry medical alert information that says you are taking this medicine.
    
    
  • Take this medicine exactly as your caregiver tells you. Tell your caregiver right away if you forget to take the medicine, or if you take too much. You may need to have regular blood tests while on this medicine. Your caregiver uses these tests to decide how much medicine is right for you.
    
    
  • Talk to your caregiver about your diet. This medicine works best when you eat about the same amount of vitamin K every day. Vitamin K is found in green leafy vegetables and other foods, such as cooked peas and kiwifruit.
  
  
• Diuretics: This medicine is given to decrease edema (excess fluid) that collects in a part of your body, such as your legs. Diuretics can also remove excess fluid from around your heart or lungs and decrease your blood pressure. It is often called water pills. You may urinate more often when you take this medicine.
  
  
• Heart medicine: This medicine is given to strengthen or regulate your heartbeat. It also may help your heart in other ways. Talk with your caregiver to find out what your heart medicine is and why you are taking it.
  
  
• Steroids: Steroid medicine may help to open your air passages so you can breathe easier. Do not stop taking this medicine without your caregiver's OK. Stopping on your own can cause problems.

Ask for information about where and when to go for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services, ask for more information.

• You may need a follow-up chest x-ray, EKG, and echocardiogram (echo) to check your heart. If you had surgery, you will need an echo to check how your mitral valve is working. Ask your caregiver for more information about these and other tests you may need.
  
  

Activity:

You may need to decrease, or stop doing some activities if they worsen your symptoms. Your caregiver may also suggest a light exercise program to help improve your heart health. It is best to start slowly and do more as you get stronger. Rest when you need to. Do not start an exercise program without talking to your caregiver. Together you can plan the best exercise program for you.

Diet:

You may need to limit the amount of salt you eat. Special cookbooks can make it easier to plan low salt meals. Ask your caregiver if you should be on a special diet.

Pregnancy:

If you are a woman with mitral stenosis, talk to your caregiver if you want to get pregnant. Mitral stenosis may cause health problems for you and your unborn baby. A woman's heart works harder during pregnancy. Your symptoms may get worse, and you and your unborn baby may die. If you do get pregnant, make sure you tell your pregnancy caregiver that you have mitral stenosis.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You are bleeding from your nose and it will not stop.
  
  
• You are feeling more tired than usual.
  
  
• You have a fever.
  
  
• You have blood in your urine or bowel movements.
  
  
• You have swelling in your feet and ankles.
  
  
• You have trouble breathing with activity.
  
  
• You have chest pain or trouble breathing that is getting worse over time.
  
  
• Your heart is beating faster than is normally does, and you feel fluttering in your chest.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your illness or medicine.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• The veins in your neck look swollen, or are bulging out.
  
  
• Your arm or leg feels warm, tender, and painful. It may look swollen and red.
  
  
• You suddenly feel lightheaded and have trouble breathing.
  
  
• You have new and sudden chest pain. You may have more pain when you take deep breaths or cough. You may cough up blood.
  
  
• Call 911 or an ambulance if you have any signs of a heart attack:
  
  
  • Discomfort in the center of your chest that feels like squeezing, pressure, fullness, or pain, that lasts for more than a few minutes or keeps returning
    
    
  • Discomfort or pain in your back, neck, jaw, stomach, or one or both of your arms
    
    
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
    
    
  • Having trouble breathing
    
    
  • A sudden cold sweat, particularly in combination with chest discomfort or trouble breathing
    
    
  • Feeling very lightheaded or dizzy, particularly in combination with chest discomfort or trouble breathing
  
  
• You have signs of a stroke: The following signs are an emergency. Call 911 immediately if you have any of the following:
  
  
  • Weakness or numbness in your arm, leg, or face (may be on only one side of your body)
    
    
  • Confusion and problems speaking or understanding speech
    
    
  • A very bad headache that may feel like the worst headache of your life
    
    
  • Not being able to see out of one or both of your eyes
    
    
  • Feeling too dizzy to stand

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about Mitral Stenosis (Aftercare Instructions)