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The mitral valve prolapse is an alteration present in the mitral valve, which is a heart valve formed by two leaflets, which, when closed, separates the left atrium from the left ventricle of the heart.
The mitral valve prolapse is characterized by a failure to close the mitral leaflets, where one or both leaflets may present an abnormal displacement during contraction of the left ventricle. This abnormal closure can facilitate the improper passage of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium, known as mitral regurgitation.
It is a common alteration and in most cases it is asymptomatic and does not harm health, which can happen in both men and women.
Main symptoms
In most cases, mitral valve prolapse is asymptomatic and is discovered during a routine echocardiogram. When the ultrasound finding of prolapse is associated with the presence of symptoms and the auscultation of a heart murmur, it becomes known as mitral prolapse syndrome.
The main symptoms that may be indicative of mitral valve prolapse are chest pain, palpitations, weakness and shortness of breath after exertion, numbness in the limbs and difficulty breathing while lying down. Learn about other symptoms of mitral valve prolapse.
Is the mitral valve prolapse severe?
Prolapse of the mitral valve in most cases is not severe and has no symptoms, and should therefore not affect lifestyle in a negative way. When symptoms appear, they can be treated and controlled with medication and surgery. Only about 1% of patients with mitral valve prolapse will worsen the problem and may, in the future, need surgery for valve replacement.
When the mitral prolapse is very large, there is a greater risk of blood returning to the left atrium, which may aggravate the condition a little more. In this case, if not treated correctly, it can lead to complications such as infection of the heart valves, severe leakage of the mitral valve and irregular heartbeat, with severe arrhythmias.
Causes of mitral valve prolapse
Prolapse of the mitral valve can happen due to genetic changes, being transmitted from parents to children, being considered a hereditary cause, or due to unknown causes, appearing for no reason (primary cause).
In addition, mitral valve prolapse can occur due to the association with other diseases, such as Maritima's syndrome, heart attack, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, severe illnesses, polycystic kidney disease and rheumatic fever. In addition, it may happen after mitral valve surgery.
How to diagnose
The diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse is made by the cardiologist based on the patient's clinical history and symptoms, in addition to exams such as echocardiography and auscultation of the heart, in which contraction and relaxation movements of the heart are evaluated.
During cardiac auscultation, a popping sound known as mesosystolic click is heard shortly after the start of contraction of the ventricle. If blood returns to the left atrium due to improper valve closure, a heart murmur can be heard right after the click.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for mitral valve prolapse is usually not necessary when there are no symptoms. However, when symptoms appear, cardiologists may recommend the use of some medications to control symptoms, such as antiarrhythmics, for example, which help to control irregular heart beats and prevent ventricular tachycardia that can happen in some rare cases of mitral valve prolapse.
In addition, the use of diuretic drugs may be recommended to help remove excess fluid that returns to the lungs, beta-blockers, in case of chest palpitations or pain, and anticoagulants, which help to prevent the formation of clots.
In the most severe cases, where there is a large leakage of blood into the left atrium, surgery is needed to repair or replace the mitral valve.