Reversible mitral and aortic regurgitation due to pioglitazone.

OBJECTIVE

To report the occurrence of pioglitazone-induced reversible valvular regurgitant lesions.

METHODS

Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data are reported on a patient with known type 2 diabetes mellitus, who was prescribed pioglitazone to achieve better glycemic control.

RESULTS

We present a case report of a 50-year-old woman, in whom diabetes had been diagnosed 5 years previously, who developed severe mitral and aortic regurgitation during 5 months of treatment with pioglitazone along with clinical and laboratory indications of fluid retention. Echocardiography 5 months after discontinued use of pioglitazone showed regression of regurgitant lesions and normalization of pertinent laboratory variables.

CONCLUSION

Five months of treatment with pioglitazone could potentially induce major cardiac valvular dysfunction, which was reversible in our patient. This report emphasizes the importance of carefully monitoring patients during treatment with thiazolidinediones.