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The mitral valve
The mitral valve is one of the heart's four valves. Its flaps open to let blood pass from the heart's upper left chamber to the lower left chamber, then close tightly when the lower chamber squeezes to pump blood to the body, so no blood flows backward.
What goes wrong
In mitral valve prolapse (MVP), the valve's flaps become floppy and don't close tightly. Sometimes blood leaks back into the chamber it came from — backflow, or regurgitation. A lot of backflow keeps the heart from pumping enough blood to the body.
But most people with MVP have no backflow, and MVP causes no health problems for most people who have it.
Who gets it
Anyone can. Most people with MVP were born with it, and it tends to run in families, though the exact cause isn't known. You may be more likely to develop it if you:
- are older — aging affects the valve;
- had rheumatic fever, which can follow strep throat and damage heart valves;
- were born with a connective tissue disorder, such as Marfan syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
- have Graves' disease, a thyroid condition;
- have scoliosis or other bone problems;
- have some types of muscular dystrophy.
MVP with backflow is most common in men and in people with high blood pressure.
Symptoms
Most people have none. When symptoms occur, they can include palpitations (a fluttering, skipping, pounding or racing heartbeat), shortness of breath, a cough, fatigue, dizziness or anxiety, migraines, and chest pain.
Rare complications, usually from backflow:
| Complication | What it is |
|---|---|
| Arrhythmia | A problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat |
| Endocarditis | An infection of the heart's lining and valves |
| Heart failure | The heart can't pump enough blood |
Diagnosis
MVP is often found at a routine checkup, when a provider hears a click through the stethoscope — and, if blood is flowing backward, a whooshing heart murmur. The most useful test is an echocardiogram, an ultrasound that makes a moving picture of the heart.
Treatment
Most people need none.
- Symptoms with little or no backflow: medicine may be enough to relieve discomfort.
- Significant backflow: treatment to prevent other heart problems, such as medicines to help the heart work better, or surgery to repair or replace a very abnormal valve. Surgery aims to ease symptoms and lower the risk of heart failure. Repair is generally preferred over replacement when possible, because it's less likely to weaken the heart muscle or lead to heart infection.
Preventing complications
MVP itself can't be prevented, but you can lower the risk of rare serious problems:
- brush and floss regularly, to keep bacteria out of the bloodstream and further reduce the small risk of heart infection;
- ask whether you need antibiotics before dental work or surgery — mostly relevant after valve repair or replacement;
- get regular checkups and take any prescribed medicines;
- build heart-healthy habits.
Sources
Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Mitral Valve Prolapse," National Library of Medicine, with text from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health; works of the United States government in the public domain.
Лицензия: CC0 1.0 (общественное достояние) · По материалам medlineplus.gov
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