Today I found out I have the heart disease Mitral Valve Prolapse. I'm 13, I weigh 109 pounds and I'm 5'8. I'm also pretty skinny too. I know this is a pretty common disease but should I be worried at all?
Mitral valve prolapse is the most common cardiac problem and may affect five to twenty percent of the population. The condition is most common in women, although men are also affected. With MVP, symptoms do not begin before the early teenage years (approximately age 14 in girls and 15 in boys), but adults of any age may be affected. MVP tends to run in families, so those with blood relatives with MVP have a greater chance of also having the condition. If a person has mild MVP, he/she needs no restriction of exercise. But if the MVP is big, then it is a different thing. Because, though complications in this condition are very less, people who suffer from this condition have to take extreme care. In case of large MVP, you may have to cut down on your physical activity, have a surgery and may be put you on medications like beta blockers. If the valve is truly defective (not just 'prolapsed'), it is serious. Unfortunately, doctors have mistaken a 'differently shaped' mitral valve as a disease in itself. And this is where the non-disease comes in. In simple terms, a mitral valve that appears prolapsed is usually normal. It still is not clear to experts why some mitral valves appear prolapsed and allow some blood leakage backwards. I have an answer for that phenomenon, but the important point is that the disease is a non-disease.
Normally, no it is not something to worry about overtly. However if you are not treated properly and not monitored then things can get worse. Your weight actually fits in with MVP as most people with MVP have a low BMI and are quite lean and skinny. If your doctor has put you on a care programme, great if not, voice your concerns to them!
