Secondary mitral valve regurgitation dynamic response during isometric exercise

Abstract

Objective: Secondary Mitral Valve Regurgitation (SMVR) is a dynamic condition whose severity is modified by different loading conditions, and prior studies found increases in regurgitation under stress conditions to convey higher morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic options in SMVR include pharmacologic therapy, percutaneous device or repair surgery, and recent guidelines acknowledge gaps in evidence for specific subsets of patients. Stress echocardiography identifies the dynamic modifications during altered loading conditions and may become a helpful tool in managing this condition. Isometric stress increases arterial blood pressure with minor changes in heart rate. In this study, we aim to identify the acute changes in SMVR during isometric exercise in order to develop a diagnostic and prognostic test.