Mitral valve prolapse

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Mitral valve prolapse

Barlow syndrome; Floppy mitral valve; Myxomatous mitral valve; Billowing mitral valve; Systolic click-murmur syndrome; Prolapsing mitral leaflet syndrome

Many patients with mitral valve prolapse do not have symptoms. The group of symptoms found in patients with mitral valve prolapse is called "mitral valve prolapse syndrome" and includes:

• Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
• Chest pain (not caused by coronary artery disease or a heart attack)
• Difficulty breathing after activity
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Shortness of breath when lying flat (orthopnea)

Note: There may be no symptoms, or symptoms may develop slowly.

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The doctor will perform a physical exam and use a stethoscope to listen to your heart and lungs. The doctor may feel a thrill (vibration) over the heart, and hear a heart murmur ("midsystolic click"). The murmur gets louder when you stand up.

Blood pressure is usually normal.

The following tests may be used to diagnose mitral valve prolapse or a leaky mitral valve:

• Echocardiogram
• Color-flow Doppler examination
• Cardiac catheterization
• Chest x-ray
• ECG (may show arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation)
• Chest MRI
• CT scan of the chest

Review Date: 05/04/2010
Reviewed By: Issam Mikati, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine. Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).