What causes leaky heart valve?

There are several underlying factors that can cause a leaky heart valve, also known as valvular regurgitation or insufficiency. Here are some common causes of leaky heart valves:

1. Rheumatic Fever: Rheumatic fever, which often follows untreated bacterial throat infections, can cause inflammation of the heart valves. This inflammation can lead to scarring, thickening, and deformation of the valve leaflets, resulting in leakage.

2. Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP): MVP is a condition where the leaflets of the mitral valve (between the left atrium and left ventricle) bulge or protrude into the left atrium. This can cause the valve leaflets to not close properly, leading to mitral valve regurgitation.

3. Age-related changes: As people age, the heart valves may become weakened and less flexible. This wear-and-tear can lead to valve leakage over time, particularly the aortic and mitral valves.

4. Heart attack (Myocardial Infarction): A heart attack can damage the heart muscle, which can extend to the valve structures and lead to valve regurgitation. The mitral valve is most commonly affected in this scenario.

5. Endocarditis: Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart, including the heart valves. When bacteria or other infectious agents enter the bloodstream and settle on the heart valves, it can cause damage, scarring, and valve leakage.

6. Congenital Heart Defects: Some individuals may be born with heart defects that affect the structure and function of the heart valves, causing them to be leaky from birth. Common congenital valve problems include aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis, and pulmonary valve defects.

7. Marfan Syndrome and Other Connective Tissue Disorders: Marfan syndrome and other disorders that affect the connective tissues in the body can weaken and stretch the valve leaflets, leading to valve incompetence.

8. Certain medications and treatments: In rare cases, some medications, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy used to treat cancer can cause damage to the heart valves, leading to regurgitation.

It's important for individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, or heart murmurs to seek medical attention for proper diagnosis and management of a leaky heart valve. The underlying cause of the leak will determine the appropriate treatment options, which may range from lifestyle modifications, medications, valve repair, or valve replacement.