Mitral valve prolapse

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Heart, section through the middle

Heart valve surgery - series

Mitral valve prolapse

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

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

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 ("mid-systolic 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 pr 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: 07/17/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.