Mild Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Over the years since my heart attack in 2007 I have had (and still have) numerous episodes of a fast, racing heart beat that sometimes feels like the heart is going to burst out of my chest. I have seen my cardiologist and have had tests and scans to check this out including 24 hour Holter Monitor tests.

Generally speaking, these fast heart beat events are not associated with any chest pain or discomfort. I have been told that Atrial Fibrillation (AF or Afib) and incidents of tachycardia and palpitations are not uncommon for someone like me with my heart history.

The American Heart Association has more information on Atrial Fibrillation and Arrhythmia here: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/AboutArrhythmia/What-is-Atrial-Fibrillation-AFib-or-AF_UCM_423748_Article.jsp

Earlier this year, when I had another episode of 'racing' heart that happened 'on' and 'off' for a number of days I saw my cardiologist and did yet another holter test which showed no abnormality this was my third such test since 2009.

In 2012 after one of these events when I also had issues with mild chest pain and following a holter monitor test and echocardiagram, my cardiologist put me on Duride (Isosorbide Mononitrate) for the above and to help with angina. I still take this medication today.

Here are a few photos of me with the Holter monitor in February, 2014.

A couple of weeks after the holter test I had an echocardiogram which basically showed everything is normal but did reveal I had mild mitral valve regurgitation - was told nothing to be worried about but something to be aware of and to keep an eye on.

Bottom line: there was no explanation for the latest fast heart episode that happened out of the blue and not following exercise. Since then have had a number of similar incidents.

So when I saw this post on Facebook the other day it got my attention:

"October 11, 1958 - Cardiac surgeon Dr. Dwight McGoon performs the first mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation. Today, Mayo Clinic cardiac surgeons use robotic surgery to surgically repair valves as an alternative to open-heart surgery. Surgeons operate between the ribs and don’t open up the breastbone (sternotomy), which results in less pain and quicker recovery. Robot-assisted minimally invasive mitral valve repair is now performed routinely at Mayo Clinic and has allowed hundreds of patients to be with their families the night of surgery and leave the hospital 3 days later, returning to work within a couple of weeks."

Dr Dwight McGoon