Risk of heart valve disorder may increase due to hypertension

London: People with high blood pressure may be at an increased risk of developing common heart valve disorder, according to an Oxford study.

The study published in the journal PLOS Medicine, followed 5.5 million adults in the UK over 10 years.

It found that higher blood pressure in early life was associated with a significantly greater future risk of mitral regurgitation, a condition which makes the heart less efficient at pumping blood around the body, and in severe cases can lead to heart failure.

"Our research suggests this common and disabling valve disorder is not an inevitable consequence of ageing, as previously assumed, but may be preventable," said Kazem Rahimi, professor at George Institute for Global Health at University of Oxford in the UK.

"Given the large and growing burden of mitral valve disease, particularly among older people, we believe these findings are likely to have significant implications for medical policy and practise around the world," Rahimi said.

Mitral regurgitation leads to a backflow of blood into the heart, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, tiredness, dizziness and chest pain.

It is more common in older people, and may be associated with a greater risk of mortality, researchers said.

Despite significant advances in the understanding of valve disease, mitral regurgitation has until now been largely considered a degenerative disorder, resulting from a weakening of the valve over time due to 'wear and tear'.

"With worldwide ageing and population growth, we are likely to see an increasing number of cases of this condition," said Rahimi.

"We need to find effective and affordable measures to tackle it, and our study suggests one possible avenue for prevention, by reducing high blood pressure," Rahimi added.