Moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation: Is there a case for early intervention?

Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) results from left ventricular remodelling after myocardial infarction and severely affects cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Ischemic mitral valve regurgitation also represents a negative prognostic factor for long-term survival in patients undergoing surgical myocardial revascularization. While severe mitral regurgitation should always be corrected during a coronary artery bypass operation, the decision making is more difficult in patients with a moderate degree of regurgitation. In this review, we wish to highlight the negative impact of IMR on long-term survival and discuss the available evidence for surgical correction of IMR at the time of coronary revascularization.