Acute mitral regurgitation (AMR) is a medical emergency which may lead to rapid clinical deterioration and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The severity of the clinical presentation varies according to several factors, ranging from cardiogenic shock to a milder presentation. The medical management of AMR includes intravenous diuretics, vasodilators, inotropic support, and potentially mechanical support to stabilise patients. Patients persisting with refractory symptoms despite optimal medical therapy are considered for surgical intervention, but high-risk patients deemed to be inoperable frequently experience poor outcomes. This review highlights the variety of clinical presentations of AMR and the pitfalls in diagnosis and management. The emerging role of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER), particularly in high-risk patients early after myocardial infarction requiring urgent intervention, has demonstrated feasibility and promising efficacy. TEER is well tolerated and improves hemodynamic parameters in AMR. In a recent analysis, the in-hospital and 1-year mortality rates were significantly higher with surgical mitral interventions compared with TEER. The global TEER experience for treating AMR is encouraging, with reports indicating improved clinical outcomes in high-risk patients and its potential as a bridge to recovery. Early recognition of AMR, validated criteria for patient selection, optimal timing of the intervention as well as long-term outcomes and additional prospective data should be addressed in future studies.
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