Severe Mitral Regurgitation Diagnosis Through Point-of-Care Ultrasound During Initial Physical Examination

Mitral regurgitation is a common valvular disorder found in the general population with varying degrees of severity. The symptoms of this disorder correspond to the severity of regurgitation as well as its associated complications such as arrhythmias. Suspicion of mitral regurgitation is based on physical exam findings with diagnosis generally requiring confirmatory findings on transthoracic echocardiogram. However, asymptomatic patients with mitral regurgitation and limited sensitivity of cardiac auscultation to detect a murmur confound the diagnosis. In this case, a patient presented with nonspecific symptoms of shortness of breath and abdominal pain in which a bedside point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in initial examination demonstrated severe mitral regurgitation and pulmonary edema. These findings expedited an intervention on the regurgitation, which highlights the importance of incorporation and early use of POCUS during physical examination.