I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse. Does anyone else have this? Does this cause panic attacks? I have heard that. What other problems does it cause?
My 8 yr. old son was thought to have this at birth, thankfully he out grew it It can cause your heart to beat rapidly, especially during physical activity. There are different types also, but mainly a valve in your heart is not formed correctly causing it not to seal witch creates the back flow of blood. Look up MVP on the web and you can find tons of info. on it! Also, make sure to have a sonogram and speak to a great cardiologist!
What is mitral valve prolapse? How does a patient with MVP feel? How is mitral valve prolapse diagnosed and evaluated? What is the treatment for MVP? Mitral Valve Prolapse At A Glance What is mitral valve prolapse? Mitral valve prolapse (also known as click murmur syndrome and Barlow's syndrome) is the most common heart valve abnormality, affecting five to ten percent of the world population. A normal mitral valve consists of two thin leaflets, located between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart. Mitral valve leaflets, shaped like parachutes, are attached to the inner wall of the left ventricle by a series of strings called chordae. When the ventricles contract, the mitral valve leaflets close snugly, preventing backflow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium. When the ventricles relax, the valves open to allow oxygenated blood from the lungs to fill the left ventricle. In patients with mitral valve prolapse, the mitral apparatus (valve leaflets and chordae) becomes affected by a process called myxomatous degeneration. In myxomatous degeneration, the structural protein, collagen, forms abnormally and causes thickening, enlargement and redundancy of the leaflets and chordae. When the ventricles contract, the redundant leaflets prolapse (flop backwards) into the left atrium, sometimes allowing leakage of blood through the valve opening (mitral regurgitation). When severe, mitral regurgitation can lead to heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. Most patients are totally unaware of the prolapsing of the mitral valve. Others may experience a number of symptoms discussed below. The mitral valve prolapse (MVP) syndrome has a strong hereditary tendency, although the exact cause is unknown. Affected family members are often tall, thin, with long arms and fingers, and straight backs. It is seen most commonly in women from 20 to 40 years old, but also occurs in men.
