Synopsis
A recent study reveals that individuals with Mitral annular disjunction (MAD) face an increased risk of severe heart rhythm disorders known as arrhythmias, even post valve surgery. Close monitoring is advised for these patients.Key Takeaways
- MAD increases risk of ventricular arrhythmias.
- Risk persists after successful valve surgery.
- MAD linked to mitral valve prolapse.
- Patients with MAD are typically younger and female.
- Close monitoring post-surgery is essential.
New York, April 15 (NationPress) Individuals with a specific heart valve irregularity may have a higher likelihood of developing severe heart rhythm issues, referred to as arrhythmias, based on a study released on Tuesday.
Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden discovered that the valve irregularity known as Mitral annular disjunction (MAD) heightens the risk of ventricular arrhythmias — a perilous form of heart rhythm disorder that can ultimately result in cardiac arrest.
The findings revealed that the risk of arrhythmias continues even after successful valve surgery.
MAD is frequently linked with a heart condition called mitral valve prolapse, which affects 2.5 percent of the population and results in one of the heart’s valves leaking. This can cause blood to flow backward within the heart, potentially leading to heart failure and arrhythmias. Symptoms may include shortness of breath and palpitations.
The research, published in the European Heart Journal, indicated that individuals with MAD tend to be female and, on average, are eight years younger than those without the condition.
Moreover, they exhibited more extensive mitral valve disease.
Even though the surgery successfully corrected MAD, these patients faced over three times the risk of ventricular arrhythmias during a five-year follow-up compared to those without preoperative MAD.
"Our findings emphasize the necessity of closely monitoring patients with this condition, even post-surgery," stated Bahira Shahim, Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet.
In their study, researchers examined the risk of cardiac arrhythmias in 599 patients with mitral valve prolapse who underwent heart surgery at Karolinska University Hospital from 2010 to 2022.
The aim of the study is to investigate new hypotheses suggesting that MAD may induce lasting changes in the heart muscle over time and that MAD could indicate an underlying heart muscle disease.
