Living with Mitral Valve Prolapse

Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Mitral Valve Prolapse is considered the most common cardiac condition in the U.S.   Thought to be harmless in most diagnosed cases, some doctors don't even tell their patients when they detect it in tests.  

The mitral valve, which is located between the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart, has two "leaflets" that swing open and shut as blood travels between them.  During Mitral Valve Prolapse, these leaflets prolapse (collapse) into the left atrium when the left ventricle contracts , similarly to an open parachute.  In the rare cases of Mitral Valve Prolapse where patients experience symptoms, it can be terrifying and confusing.   Doctors across the country are only recently beginning to acknowledge that Mitral Valve Prolapse can sometimes cause a related syndrome in patients. In extremely severe cases of Mitral Valve Prolapse, the mitral valve can actually regurgitate rather than prolapse, causing the patient to need emergency surgery to correct the problem.  

However, most patients only exhibit non-threatening symptoms, such as:  heart palpitations, chest pain (unrelated to coronary disease or a heart attack) , difficulty breathing after exertion, fatigue, coughing, and shortness of breath when lying flat.  Every person with Mitral Valve Prolapse experiences their own symptoms in varying degrees.