Mitral Valve Prolapse

Mitral Valve Prolapse

It is condition in which leaflets(flaps) of your mitral valve go into the upper chamber of your heart called atrium. Mitral valve present in the left chamber of your heart so in mitral prolapse they bulge into the left atrium. It may lead to the condition called mitral regurgitation in which blood start to move backward in the atrium.

Symptoms

Initially it may not produce any sign and symptoms but when the disease progress it may causes the following sign and symptoms:mitral valve stenosis, prolapse, symptoms and treatment

Causes

The function of mitral valve is to prevent the mixing of blood between the left atrium and left ventricle and prevent the backward flow of blood. The exact causes of mitral prolapse is not known yet but it may be assumed that it is a hereditary condition which is usually associated with other genetical disorder like marfan syndrome, ebstain anomaly etc.

Complications

Complications include:

  • Arrhythmias may change the rhythm of heart beat
  • Mitral valve regurgitation due to the backward flow of the blood in the left atrium
  • Endocarditis
  • Left atrium enlargement due to regurgitation
Diagnosis

After taking medical and family history your doctor may perform a precordial examination and recommend the following tests to confirm the diagnosis:

  • Chest x-ray to see the picture of your lungs and heart.
  • ECG to check the electrical activity of the heart.
  • Echocardiogram to check the severity of your disease with the help of the sound wave.
  • Coronary angiogram to evaluate the condition of your vessels
  • Stress test to check the ability of your heart to withstand with exercise or not
Treatment

If your symptoms may persist and disturb your routine work then your doctor may recommend the following treatment option:

Medications which include:

  • Anti-arrhythmic drugs to control the arrhythmias.
  • Diuretics to prevent the edema.
  • Beta blockers to control the heart beat and blood pressure.
  • Aspirin to prevent the clot formation
  • Blood thinner drugs like warfarin, apixaban etc.
Surgery

If your symptoms are not cured with medication then your doctor may recommend a surgery to treat the mitral valve prolapse.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies
  • Avoid stress
  • Avoid any heavy exercise
  • Walk daily
  • Eat a healthy food
  • Avoid smoking
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • Maintain hygiene to prevent infection
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