Alternative names:
Click-murmur Syndrome, Barlow's Syndrome, Balloon Mitral Valve, Floppy Valve Syndrome, Systolic Click-murmur Syndrome, Prolapsing Mitral Leaflet Syndrome, Myxomatous Mitral Valve
What is mitral valve prolapse?
What are the signs of mitral valve prolapse?
What causes mitral valve prolapse?
How does my doctor tell if I have mitral valve prolapse?
How is mitral valve prolapse treated?
What is mitral valve prolapse?
The mitral valve separates the heart's left upper chamber (atrium) from the left lower chamber (ventricle). The valve opens and shuts to let blood flow from the atrium to the ventricle. The ventricle pumps the blood through the body.
Mitral valve prolapse happens when the valve does not close right, and small amounts of blood flow from the ventricle back into the atrium. This can cause a heart murmur, or a "clicking" sound.
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What are the signs of mitral valve prolapse?
In some cases, patients with mitral valve prolapse feel no symptoms. Others may:
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Feel their heart beating (palpitations) |
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Have chest pain |
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Have a cough |
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Be short of breath after exertion |
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Be short of breath after lying flat |
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Feel fatigued |
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What causes mitral valve prolapse?
Some forms of mitral valve prolapse may be hereditary. It is also happens with certain conditions:
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A hole in the wall that separates the left and right upper heart chambers (atrial septal defect) |
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Chest wall deformities and curvature of the spine, especially in women |
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Marfan's syndrome, a disorder that affects the skeletal system, cardiovascular system, eyes, and skin |
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Graves' disease, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland |
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How does my doctor tell if I have mitral valve prolapse?
With a stethoscope, a doctor may hear a murmur, click, or other unusual sound coming from your heart. Your doctor also may use some of the following tests:
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An echocardiogram uses sound waves to make a picture of your heart. Your doctor sees this image on a television monitor, and can examine how well your heart works. The test takes about 45 minutes, and is painless. |
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A heart catheterization allows a doctor to record information from inside the heart. With the patient awake and under pain medicine, the doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into an artery in the leg, and guides it into the heart. The doctor can then perform many tests, including an angiography, where an injected dye shows the heart and its arteries. A doctor can also use heart catheterization to measure blood pressure and oxygen levels inside the heart, as well as the pumping ability of the heart muscle. |
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An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) measures the electrical activity of your heart. It helps your doctor see how well your heart beats, and can tell if your heart muscle has been damaged in any way. A technician puts small metal disks—electrodes—on your skin to read the pattern of electrical impulses from your heart. The test only takes a few minutes. |
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How is mitral valve prolapse treated?
Most patients with mitral valve prolapse do not need treatment and can lead normal lives, as long as they often see a doctor.
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Medication |
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You may need to take antibiotics before dental procedures or general surgery, to prevent the mitral valve from becoming infected |
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Anti-arrhythmics drugs may be used to control irregular heart rhythms, or arrhythmia |
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Vasodilators (drugs that dilate blood vessels) may be used to reduce your heart's workload |
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Diuretics may be used to remove excess fluid in the lungs |
| Surgical |
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In a small number of cases, mitral valve prolapse can cause severe leakage of blood through the valve back into the atria. In these situations, surgery to repair or replace the abnormal valve may be necessary. |
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