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Mitral Valve Prolapse - Symtptoms and Treatment
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) also referred to as "Barlow's syndrome," is a condition where there is abnormal motion of one of the heart valves during cardiac contraction. This relatively nonserious problem affects up to 7% of the population and is more common in females. Most of the patients with mitral valve prolapse are asymptomatic and remain so for their entire lives. In very rare cases, MVP can progress to involve a more serious dysfunction of the mitral valve. A wide variety of symptoms can be found in patients with mitral valve prolapse. In some cases, these symptoms can mimic those of a myocardial infarction. Fortunately, in the vast majority of patients with MVP, there is no developmentof serious cardiac disease. There is a slightly increased risk of TIA and stroke reported in patients with MVP in addition to an increased risk of infectious endocarditis (infected heart valves) after dental procedures. Common symptoms include palpitations, atypical chest pains (sometimes confused with heart attack pain), faintness, anxiety, and fatigue. In the majority of cases, mitral valve prolapse is nonserious and associated with a benign course.Evaluation by your doctor will include medical history and physical examination. The physician will perform a diligent search for any clues associated with a more serious heart condition. An EKG will be performed to explore the possibility of more serious heart problems. Blood tests to check the cholesterol level and a chest x-ray may be used for general screeningpurposes. An echocardiogram is an ultrasound procedure that can directly "show" the valve abnormality, confirming the diagnosis of MVP. The chest pain of MVP is often confused with more serious chest pains (i.e.angina) that are generally associated with coronary artery disease. If the diagnosis is in question, additional cardiac studies such as stress testing, thallium scanning, or cardiac catheterization can be performed to eliminate the possibility of more serious cardiac disease.
Treatment of MVP has been successful with medications that tend to slow the heart rate (beta-blockers) that decrease the incidence of unpleasant symptoms. Currently, patients with MVP are given prophylactic antibiotics prior to any dental procedures or surgery. This is thought to reduce any additional risk of heart valve infection (endocarditis) that may exist in this group. Patients with TIA or stroke symptoms will require treatment with aspirin or another platelet inhibiting medication (Persantine). Those unresponsive to this measure may require more aggressive anticoagulation [warfarin therapy].
REMEMBER: see your doctor for evaluation when cardiac symptoms are suspected.
Hope this article will provide you information about mitral valve prolapse.
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