In this Article

• What is mitral valve prolapse?
• What are the sign and symptoms of mitral valve prolapse?
• How is mitral valve prolapse diagnosed and evaluated?
• What is the treatment for mitral valve prolapse?
• Mitral Valve Prolapse At A Glance
• Patient Discussions: Mitral Valve Prolapse (Mvp) - Symptoms Experienced
• Mitral Valve Prolapse Glossary
• Mitral Valve Prolapse Index

What is the treatment for mitral valve prolapse?

The vast majority of patients with mitral valve prolapse have an excellent prognosis and need no treatment. For these individuals, routine examinations including echocardiograms every few years may suffice. Mitral regurgitation in patients with mitral valve prolapse can lead to heart failure, heart enlargement, and abnormal rhythms. Therefore, mitral valve prolapse patients with mitral regurgitation are often evaluated annually. Since valve infection, endocarditis, is a rare, but potentially serious complication of mitral valve prolapse, patients with mitral valve prolapse are usually given antibiotics prior to any procedure which can introduce bacteria into the bloodstream. These procedures include routine dental work, minor surgery, and procedures that can traumatize body tissues such as colonoscopy, gynecologic, or urologic examinations. Examples of antibiotics used include oral amoxicillin and erythromycin as well as intramuscular or intravenous ampicillin, gentamycin, and vancomycin.

Patients with severe prolapse, abnormal heart rhythms, fainting spells, significant palpitations, chest pain, and anxiety attacks may need treatment. Beta-blockers, such as atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor), and propranolol (Inderal), are the drugs of choice. These act by increasing the size of the left ventricle, thereby reducing the degree of prolapse. The calcium blockers verapamil (Calan) and diltiazem (Cardizem) are useful in patients who cannot tolerate beta-blockers.

Although most patients with mitral valve prolapse require no treatment or treatment with oral medications, in very rare cases, surgery (mitral valve replacement or repair) may be required. Patients who require surgery usually have severe mitral regurgitation causing worsening heart failure and progressive heart enlargement. Rarely, rupture of one or more chordae can cause sudden, severe mitral regurgitation and heart failure requiring surgical repair. Mitral valve repair is preferable if possible, to mitral valve replacement as the surgical treatment for mitral valve regurgitation. After mitral valve replacement, lifelong blood thinning medications are necessary to prevent blood from clotting on the artificial valves. After mitral valve repair, these blood thinning medications are unnecessary. Because of the success of valve repair, it is being performed earlier in patients with mitral regurgitation, thus reducing the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure.

Rare patients with mitral valve prolapse may suffer strokes because of increased blood clotting. These patients can be treated with a combination of a blood thinner (anticoagulant) and a beta-blocker.

Again, although patients with mitral valve prolapse may experience a variety of complications, most have no symptoms and can lead healthy, active, and normal lives.

Mitral Valve Prolapse At A Glance

• Mitral valve prolapse (mitral valve prolapse) is the most common heart valve abnormality.

• Most patients with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms and require no treatment.

• Mitral valve prolapse can be associated with fatigue and/or palpitations.

• Mitral valve prolapse can often be detected by a doctor during examination of the heart. mitral valve prolapse can be confirmed with an echocardiogram.

• Patients with mitral valve prolapse are usually given antibiotics prior to any procedure which might introduce bacteria into the bloodstream, including dental work and minor surgery.

Mitral Valve Prolapse (Mvp) - Symptoms Experienced

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