Introduction
Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is one of the most challenging complications of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and chronic coronary artery disease (CAD). The presence of IMR, irrespective of severity significantly have a negative impact on the short and long-term outcomes of patients with AMI and CAD. Nearly 25% of patients with AMI without congestive heart failure (CHF) develop IMR and this number approaches 50% when CHF is present. IMR occurs in approximately 20—25% of patients followed up after myocardial infarction (MI)[1—3] and in 50% of those with post-infarct congestive heart failure (CHF) [4]. In patients with CHF, even a mild degree of mitral regurgitation (MR) adversely affects survival. Increasing MR severity is associated with a progressively worse 5-year survival rate [1, 4].
This review is a concise overview of IMR and we will attempt to focus on the fundamentals of IMR and potential treatments for this challenging disease state.