Risk factors for mitral valve regurgitation (MR) include:

• Age. Wear and tear of the mitral valve occurs over time, increasing the likelihood of blood leaking back into the atrium.
• Having mitral valve prolapse.
• Having had rheumatic fever, because it can cause scarring on the valve, resulting in incomplete closure.
• Coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD may cause ischemia (reduced blood flow) or infarction (heart attack), which affects the valve's structure, leading to incomplete closure.
• Less commonly, diabetes and Marfan's syndrome because they may lead to hardening of the valve.