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Mitral Valve Prolapse

Also called: Barlow's syndrome, Floppy valve syndrome, MVP

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) occurs when one of your heart's valves doesn't work properly. The flaps of the valve are "floppy" and don't close tightly. Most people who have the condition are born with it. It also tends to run in families.

Most of the time, MVP doesn't cause any problems. Rarely, blood can leak the wrong way through the floppy valve. This can cause

  • Palpitations (feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cough
  • Fatigue, dizziness, or anxiety
  • Migraine headaches
  • Chest discomfort

Most people who have mitral valve prolapse (MVP) don't need treatment because they don't have symptoms and complications. If you need treatment for MVP, medicines can help relieve symptoms or prevent complications. Very few people will need surgery to repair or replace the mitral valve.

MVP puts you at risk for infective endocarditis, a kind of heart infection. To prevent it, doctors used to prescribe antibiotics before dental work or certain surgeries. Now, only people at high risk of endocarditis need the antibiotics.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Symptoms of Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following features are indicative of Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • irregular heartbeat
  • dizziness
  • shortness of breath
  • fatigue
  • chest pain
It is possible that Mitral Valve Prolapse shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.

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Common Causes of Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following are the most common causes of Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • myxomatous valve disease
  • genetically presence
  • Marfan syndrome

Risk Factors for Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • history of rheumatic fever
  • connective tissue disorders
  • Graves’ disease
  • scoliosis and other skeletal problems
  • some types of muscular dystrophy

Prevention of Mitral Valve Prolapse

No, it is not possible to prevent Mitral Valve Prolapse.
  • hereditary

Occurrence of Mitral Valve Prolapse

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Mitral Valve Prolapse cases seen each year worldwide:
  • Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Mitral Valve Prolapse can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Mitral Valve Prolapse can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • Physical examination: To diagnose mitral valve prolapse by listening to your heart with a stethoscope
  • Echocardiogram: To assure the diagnosis and determine the severity of your condition
  • Chest X-ray: To view the picture of your heart, lungs and blood vessels
  • Electrocardiogram: To evaluate the irregularities in your heart's rhythm and structure
  • Stress test: To view if mitral valve regurgitation limits your ability to exercise
  • Coronary angiogram: To know more information about the severity of your condition

Doctor for Diagnosis of Mitral Valve Prolapse

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • Cardiologist

Complications of Mitral Valve Prolapse if untreated

Yes, Mitral Valve Prolapse causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Mitral Valve Prolapse is left untreated:
  • mitral regurgitation
  • infective endocarditis
  • congestive heart failure
  • cardiac arrest

Procedures for Treatment of Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following procedures are used to treat Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • Surgery: To repair the mitral valve

Self-care for Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • Take heart-healthy eating: Helps in preventing mitral valve prolapse
  • Maintain healthy weight: By maintaining healthy body weight lowers the risk of mitral valve prolapse
  • Manage stress: Avoid stressful factors
  • Quit smoking: Avoid smoking keeps you healthy
  • Regular physical activity: By doing exercise improves the body functioning

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Mitral Valve Prolapse:
  • Physical therapy: By doing exercise improves the body functioning

Patient Support for Treatment of Mitral Valve Prolapse

The following actions may help Mitral Valve Prolapse patients:
  • Join National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute supported research: Provides medical knowledge and care thus helps in preventing and treating heart, lung, and blood diseases

Time for Treatment of Mitral Valve Prolapse

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Mitral Valve Prolapse to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
  • More than 1 year

Related Topics

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.
This page provides information for Mitral Valve Prolapse.

Related Topics

Heart Valve Diseases

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