Mitral Valve Prolapse?

Question

I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse. Does anyone else have this? Does this cause panic attacks? I have heard that. What other problems does it cause?

Answer 1

Mitral valve prolapse simply means the mitral valve which controls the flow of blood between the left atrium and left ventricle is not shutting completely between beats, and you have some leakage of blood from the atrium to the ventricle. How bad the problem is depends on your particular case, but for most people it usually causes either no problems or only minor ones. The milder symptoms of MVP mimic those of a panic attack, in that you experience a racing heartbeat, sometimes have rapid breathing and sweating. The realization all this is occurring can cause you to become anxious, which in turn can simply aggrivate things because you are aware. It is not a panic attack because there are physical reasons for the way you feel, as opposed to panic attack which is driven by your emotional state. So MVP does not cause panic attacks, it just mimics many of te same symptoms. If the symptoms become severe enough to cause you trouble, there are medications that the doctor can prescribe which will help control the worst of them. You can help a great deal simply by recognizing them for what they are, and not becoming overly concerned- which will just aggrivate them. You should have the MVP evaluated at least annually, just to be sure it hasn't progressed to a serious condition. You would want to tell the dentist, and any other doctor who treats you, as there are some things they need to be cautious of in treating you, but otherwise it really isn't usually a big deal in your day to day life. If your doctor didn't give you a really good explaination of all of it, or if you want to go over it all again, there are several sites that give good in depth info on the subject and will help you put all of this in proportion and perspective. There are lots of folks out there with MVP that isn't even diagnosed, because it really doesn't cause them any problems. It's more of a leaky valve, but the leak is so slight and the murmur so low it gets missed or undetected by the doctor. Yours may have had very good ears, or listened to hear the click murmur at just the right time. I think you should educate yourself to understand your MVP better, and then you will find it easier to relax about it when you feel the heart race or beat, or experience other symptoms(if you ever do). In most cases, MVP just means you have a noisy heart with a slightly leaky valve, and will have no major problems in the future.

Answer 2

What is mitral valve prolapse?
How does a patient with MVP feel?
How is mitral valve prolapse diagnosed and evaluated?
What is the treatment for MVP?
Mitral Valve Prolapse At A Glance

What is mitral valve prolapse?

Mitral valve prolapse (also known as "click murmur syndrome" and "Barlow's syndrome") is the most common heart valve abnormality, affecting five to ten percent of the world population. A normal mitral valve consists of two thin leaflets, located between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart. Mitral valve leaflets, shaped like parachutes, are attached to the inner wall of the left ventricle by a series of strings called "chordae." When the ventricles contract, the mitral valve leaflets close snugly, preventing backflow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium. When the ventricles relax, the valves open to allow oxygenated blood from the lungs to fill the left ventricle.
In patients with mitral valve prolapse, the mitral apparatus (valve leaflets and chordae) becomes affected by a process called myxomatous degeneration. In myxomatous degeneration, the structural protein, collagen, forms abnormally and causes thickening, enlargement and redundancy of the leaflets and chordae. When the ventricles contract, the redundant leaflets prolapse (flop backwards) into the left atrium, sometimes allowing leakage of blood through the valve opening (mitral regurgitation). When severe, mitral regurgitation can lead to heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. Most patients are totally unaware of the prolapsing of the mitral valve. Others may experience a number of symptoms discussed below.

The mitral valve prolapse (MVP) syndrome has a strong hereditary tendency, although the exact cause is unknown. Affected family members are often tall, thin, with long arms and fingers, and straight backs. It is seen most commonly in women from 20 to 40 years old, but also occurs in men.

Answer 3

My 8 yr. old son was thought to have this at birth, thankfully he out grew it It can cause your heart to beat rapidly, especially during physical activity. There are different types also, but mainly a valve in your heart is not formed correctly causing it not to seal witch creates the back flow of blood. Look up MVP on the web and you can find tons of info. on it! Also, make sure to have a sonogram and speak to a great cardiologist!