Mitral Valve Stenosis & Weight Loss

Mitral valve stenosis refers to a narrowing of one of the four valves that help to pump blood through the four chambers of your heart. This disease can go undetected for many years, but once it is diagnosed, medication and other treatment options, including revisions to diet, are available.

How Your Heart Works

• The four chambers of your heart are the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left atrium and the left ventricle. Oxygenated blood travels from your lungs into the left atrium and is pumped through the mitral valve into the left ventricle. From the left ventricle, your blood is pumped through the aortic valve to carry oxygen rich blood to nourish the tissues and cells in your body.

  When the oxygen rich blood reaches the cells, oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is then carried by your blood back to the heart where it enters the right atrium, passes through the tricuspid valve and into the right ventricle. From there your blood is pumped through the pulmonary valve and into your lungs. The carbon dioxide will be discharged from your lungs as you exhale and oxygen will be taken in as you inhale.

  Once again, oxygenated blood will make its way from your lungs into the left atrium as your circulatory system continues its job of keeping your cells and tissues supplied with the oxygen rich blood it needs to keep your body functioning.

Heart Function with Mitral Valve Stenosis

• With mitral valve stenosis, the mitral valve becomes narrowed, stiff or scarred reducing the amount of blood flowing into the left ventricle. The flaps on the valve cannot close as tightly as they should and may cause blood to remain in the left atrium or to back up into your lungs. This disease can go undetected for anywhere from 10 years up to 40 years, because the initial symptoms of shortness of breath are mild and may appear normal.

  Advanced symptoms of mitral valve stenosis include worsening shortness of breath, fatigue caused by the malfunctioning of the valve resulting in a reduction in the amount of blood being pumped and in the amount of oxygen being supplied to your body. Advanced symptoms also include heart palpitations as the heart works harder to pump blood through the narrowed valve.

Weight Loss and Exercise

• Excess body weight is usually associated with shortness of breath and fatigue, which can compound the symptoms of mitral valve stenosis. Your doctor will recommend a healthy weight for you and suggest a diet that restricts sodium to approximately 2300 mg daily. Sodium causes water retention, which worsens the symptoms of this disease, including shortness of breath. Eating foods such as processed meats and cheeses, canned foods, fast foods, salted snacks like potato chips and nuts should all be avoided. If you eat frozen dinners, choose only those with a low sodium content. Try to track your daily intake of sodium to avoid exceeding the maximum daily amount recommended by your doctor.

  Herbs and spices make a tasty substitute for salt, but some of them may conflict with your medications. Check with your dietician, pharmacist or doctor before including any new spices in your diet.

  Fresh fruits and vegetables are a good substitute for the high sodium foods you will be eliminating from your diet. They provide the additional benefit of vital nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If you have excess weight to lose, eliminating fast foods and replacing them with fruits and vegetables will help to cut your caloric intake.

  Caffeine and alcohol can increase symptoms of an irregular heartbeat. Consumption of these beverages should be limited or completely avoided.

  In addition to weight loss, your doctor may recommend specific activities and exercise if your condition is mild. With moderate to severe mitral valve stenosis, your doctor may curtail your activity and exercise.