Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEffectsSymptomsCausesWho Is at RiskDiagnosisTreatmentDo You Need Treatment?MonitoringPreventionLife ExpectancyPossible Lifestyle ChangesWhen to Seek Emergency Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Effects
Symptoms
Causes
Who Is at Risk
Diagnosis
Treatment
Do You Need Treatment?
Monitoring
Prevention
Life Expectancy
Possible Lifestyle Changes
When to Seek Emergency Care
Mitralvalve prolapse occurs when themitral valvebetween the heart’s left atrium and leftventricle doesn’t close properly. In some cases, failure of the valves to close tightly allows blood to flow backward through the heart, known asmitral regurgitation.
Most cases of mitral valve prolapse aren’t serious and don’t cause symptoms. However, when mitral regurgitation becomes severe, it raises the risk of more serious complications and may require treatment with medications or surgery to repair or replace the valve.
This article will examine how mitral valve prolapse affects the body, along with symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
Luis Alvarez / Getty Images
How Mitral Valve Prolapse Affects the Body
Heart valves are made up of flaps that open and close with every heartbeat, working to direct bloodflow through the heart or out of the heart to the lungs and body.
The mitral valve has two flaps. It directs blood flow from the heart’s left atrium to its left ventricle. Normally, two small tendons connect the flaps to the heart, forming a tight closure that prevents blood from flowing backward.Mitral valve prolapse occurs when one or both of the mitral valve flaps enlarge andprolapse(bulge) into the left atrium when the heart contracts. This prolapse can prevent the valve from sealing tightly, leading to blood flowing backward into the atrium, known as regurgitation. Most people who have mitral valve prolapse do not have mitral regurgitation.
Mitral Valve Prolapse Symptoms
Most people with mitral valve prolapse do not experience any symptoms or problems. If there is mitral regurgitation, it can worsen over time and lead to infection. Also, with mitral regurgitation, the increasing amount of blood in the left-side chambers of the heart can cause those chambers to enlarge.
Symptoms of mitral valve prolapse may include:
What Causes Mitral Valve Prolapse?
Not a lot is known about the causes of mitral valve prolapse, although a genetic risk for the condition can be inherited. The most common cause is having mitral valve flaps that are abnormally stretchy (myxomatous valve disease).Certainconnective tissue diseases, such as Marfan syndrome, can also cause mitral valve prolapse.
Who’s More Likely to Get Mitral Valve Prolapse?
Mitral valve prolapse is seen in about 2 out of 100 people, making it a common heart condition.Most people who have mitral valve prolapse were born with the condition. Mitral valve prolapse can run in families, and those with a family history are at higher risk of getting the condition.
Risks are increased with these conditions:
How Mitral Valve Prolapse Is Diagnosed
Because most people with mitral valve prolapse don’t have symptoms, the condition is often first discovered when a click ormurmurfrom regurgitation is heard through a stethoscope during a routine physical exam.
If a murmur is detected, your healthcare provider might order a diagnosticelectrocardiogram(EKG) to look for irregularity in heartbeats. They might request anechocardiogramthat creates images of the heart using ultrasound and is the best way to detect mitral valve prolapse.
If symptoms are severe, other diagnostic tests such as acardiac stress test,cardiac catheterization, orcardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the heart)might be necessary.
Risk of Heart InfectionMitral valve prolapse raises the risk ofendocarditis, an infection when bacteria enter the bloodstream and infect the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves. Becausetooth decayandgum infectionraise the risk of endocarditis, it’s important to practice good dental hygiene if you have mitral valve prolapse.
Risk of Heart Infection
Mitral valve prolapse raises the risk ofendocarditis, an infection when bacteria enter the bloodstream and infect the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves. Becausetooth decayandgum infectionraise the risk of endocarditis, it’s important to practice good dental hygiene if you have mitral valve prolapse.
How Mitral Valve Prolapse Is Treated
Mitral valve prolapse without symptoms typically doesn’t require treatment and instead isregularly monitored for any changes.
If symptoms such as chest pain or heart palpitations are present, treatment can include medications such asbeta-blockers.In cases where mitral valve prolapse is causingatrial fibrillation,blood thinnersmight be prescribed.
If severe mitral regurgitation is present,surgical interventionsof either mitral valve replacement or mitral valve repair are usually recommended beforecongestive heart failuredevelops.
Mitral valve repair is usually done through open heart surgery. However, sometimes robotically assisted mitral valve repair is performed (generally in young, active individuals). A newer procedure called amitral valve clipis available to individuals who are not good candidates for open heart surgery.
Valve repair is usually recommended over valve replacement because it preserves heart tissue. In more serious cases, the valve may need to be replaced using a human, animal, or manufactured mechanical valve.
How Do You Know If You Need Treatment for Mitral Valve Prolapse?
Most people with mitral valve prolapse don’t require treatment. You may need treatment if you have symptoms that worsen, you develop an irregular heartbeat, mitral regurgitation becomes severe, or your heart becomes enlarged.
If an enlarged atrium results in atrial fibrillation, the risk of blood clots is raised, which can lead to heart attack orstroke.An increased risk of dangerous heart rhythms is also seen in a rare variant of MVP called malignant mitral valve prolapse.
An estimated 10% to 15% of people with mitral valve prolapse need mitral valve repair or replacement surgery.Some research has shown that people with mitral regurgitation are at higher risk of heart failure and death and that more people would benefit from surgical treatment than currently have surgery for the condition.
If you have mitral valve prolapse, it’s important to see your healthcare provider regularly to monitor your condition and learn to prevent complications based on your risk. You also should always take any medications as prescribed.
Can Mitral Valve Prolapse Be Prevented?
How Long Can You Live With Mitral Valve Prolapse?
Mitral valve prolapsedoesn’t shorten life expectancy. Most people with the condition do not experience any effects. Leading a healthy lifestyle is important in managing the condition and keeping it from getting worse.
If you have mitral valve prolapse, even without symptoms, it’s important to practice healthy behaviors to prevent the condition from worsening. That includes:
Call 911 or get to an emergency room if you experiencechest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, or shortness of breath that are severe or different from what you’ve experienced in the past.
Summary
Mitral valve prolapse occurs when the heart’s mitral valve flaps don’t close properly. The condition is usually harmless and doesn’t cause symptoms. In some cases, failure of the valves to close tightly can lead to mitral regurgitation. If the valve leak is severe, surgery to repair or replace the damaged valve may be necessary.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve disease types.Cedars Sinai.Mitral valve prolapse.American Heart Association.Problem: mitral valve prolapse.Texas Heart Institute.Mitral valve prolapse.American Academy of Family Physicians.Mitral valve prolapse.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.Penn Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.American Heart Association.Options for heart valve repair.Dziadzko V, Clavel MA, Dziadzko M, et al.Outcome and undertreatment of mitral regurgitation: a community cohort study.Lancet.2018;391(10124):960-969. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30473-2National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve diseases causes and risk factors.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve disease types.Cedars Sinai.Mitral valve prolapse.American Heart Association.Problem: mitral valve prolapse.Texas Heart Institute.Mitral valve prolapse.American Academy of Family Physicians.Mitral valve prolapse.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.Penn Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.American Heart Association.Options for heart valve repair.Dziadzko V, Clavel MA, Dziadzko M, et al.Outcome and undertreatment of mitral regurgitation: a community cohort study.Lancet.2018;391(10124):960-969. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30473-2National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve diseases causes and risk factors.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve disease types.Cedars Sinai.Mitral valve prolapse.American Heart Association.Problem: mitral valve prolapse.Texas Heart Institute.Mitral valve prolapse.American Academy of Family Physicians.Mitral valve prolapse.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.Penn Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.American Heart Association.Options for heart valve repair.Dziadzko V, Clavel MA, Dziadzko M, et al.Outcome and undertreatment of mitral regurgitation: a community cohort study.Lancet.2018;391(10124):960-969. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30473-2National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve diseases causes and risk factors.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve disease types.
Cedars Sinai.Mitral valve prolapse.
American Heart Association.Problem: mitral valve prolapse.
Texas Heart Institute.Mitral valve prolapse.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Mitral valve prolapse.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.
Penn Medicine.Mitral valve prolapse.
American Heart Association.Options for heart valve repair.
Dziadzko V, Clavel MA, Dziadzko M, et al.Outcome and undertreatment of mitral regurgitation: a community cohort study.Lancet.2018;391(10124):960-969. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30473-2
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart valve diseases causes and risk factors.
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