Mitral valve prolapse

Alternative names:

Barlow's syndrome; billowing mitral valve; floppy mitral valve; myxomatous mitral valve; prolapsing mitral leaflet syndrome; systolic click-murmur syndrome

Definition:

A disorder in which the mitral heart valve billows out and does not close properly, allowing blood to leak (backflow) into the left atrium.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is one cause of mitral regurgitation (leakage of blood from insufficient valve closure). It occurs in about 2 out of 1,000 people overall. (It affects about 5 to 7% of women between 14 and 30 years old).

Mitral valve prolapse is a common syndrome with a wide range of symptoms. Some forms of MVP seem to be hereditary. MVP has been associated with Marfan's syndrome characteristics.

Most individuals with mitral valve prolapse are thin women who may have minor chest wall deformities, scoliosis, or other disorders. There may also be an atrial septal defect high in the wall of the heart (callled an ostium secundum defect). Other risk factors include pregnancy (it causes an increased blood volume and increased workload on the heart), fatigue or overwork.