Pericardial Effusion / Severe MVR

I have posted here before and was wondering if anyone can help me out.  I have had a MVP since a young girl and I am now 42.  I always had trace mitral regurgitation up until about 1990 when it became mild.  Throughout the 90's and up until 2005 it was always mild-mod.  Well now it has become severe upon a new echo that I recently had done last week  It was a 3dimensional echocardiogram.

I did post about it last week and really found this 3 D echo to be 'hands down" the most unbelievably amazing diagnostic imaging that I've ever had done with echos.  Anyways, one of the newest findings is a small pericardial effusion.  I have never ever had this found before and all of my echos in the past years always said "no effusions found".  Also, I have mild pulmonary hypertension (i think it is 30 mm HG).  The valve is very myxamatous with both anterior and posterior leaflet thickening.  One of the nurses that I was speaking with said that this effusion can be the beginning signs of more sinister problems with my heart because of the severe regurg.  I don't know what my EF is or measurements of the left ventricle are.  My EF is usually 55% and measurements have always been normal except for mild atrial enlargement.  I still haven't received the official report from last week because my dr. is out of this office until this thursday.  I'm on pins and needles.  Could the effusion be a "new" problem or normal?  If it is normal, why wasn't it ever mentioned before in previous echos.  This really confuses me.  Any ideas?