Hello , most probably what you are referring to is mitral regurgitation, where there is back leak to the upper chamber of the heart causing symptoms of congestion in lungs , breathlessness and increase in fluid in the body leading to swellings the legs , decrease in appetite because of liver congestion and fatigue. Mostly it can be well managed with medication , There are newer ways depending on the exact nature of leak and other echocardiography parameters . At 80 , surgery to repair or replace the valve may be risky if she is otherwise not healthy , um you may consider the option of mitra clip and discuss it out with your doctor. Till than optimisation of her medicine should do the trick . Send us detailed medication and reports ( ecg and echocardiography), so I can guide you more objective . Regards Dr Priyank Mody