How to know if mitral valve prolapse is severe and how treatment is done

The mitral valve prolapse is an alteration present in the mitral valve, which is a heart valve formed by two leaflets, which, when closed, separates the left atrium from the left ventricle of the heart.

The mitral valve prolapse is characterized by a failure to close the mitral leaflets, where one or both leaflets may present an abnormal displacement during contraction of the left ventricle. This abnormal closure can facilitate the improper passage of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium, known as mitral regurgitation.

It is a common alteration and in most cases it is asymptomatic and does not harm health, and it can happen in both men and women.

Main symptoms

In most cases, mitral valve prolapse is asymptomatic and is discovered during a routine echocardiogram. When the ultrasound finding of prolapse is associated with the presence of symptoms and the auscultation of a heart murmur, it becomes known as mitral prolapse syndrome.

The main symptoms that may be indicative of mitral valve prolapse are chest pain, palpitations, weakness and shortness of breath after exertion, numbness in the limbs and difficulty breathing while lying down. Learn about other symptoms of mitral valve prolapse.

Is the mitral valve prolapse severe?

In most cases, prolapse of the mitral valve is not severe and has no symptoms, and should therefore not affect lifestyle in a negative way. When symptoms appear, they can be treated and controlled with medication and surgery. Only about 1% of patients with mitral valve prolapse will worsen the problem and may, in the future, need surgery to change the valve.

When the mitral prolapse is very large, there is a greater risk of blood returning to the left atrium, which may worsen the condition a little more. In this case, if not treated correctly, it can lead to complications such as infection of the heart valves, severe leakage of the mitral valve and irregular heartbeat, with severe arrhythmias.

Causes of mitral valve prolapse

Prolapse of the mitral valve can happen due to genetic alterations, being transmitted from parents to children, being considered a hereditary cause, or due to unknown causes, appearing for no reason (primary cause).

In addition, mitral valve prolapse can happen due to the association with other diseases, such as Maritima's syndrome, heart attack, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, serious illnesses, polycystic kidney disease and rheumatic fever. In addition, it can happen after mitral valve surgery.

How to diagnose

The diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse is made by the cardiologist based on the patient's clinical history and symptoms, in addition to tests such as echocardiography and auscultation of the heart, in which contraction and relaxation movements of the heart are evaluated.

During cardiac auscultation, a popping sound known as mesosystolic click is heard shortly after the start of contraction of the ventricle. If blood returns to the left atrium due to improper valve closure, a heart murmur can be heard right after the click.

How the treatment is done

Treatment for mitral valve prolapse is usually not necessary when there are no symptoms. However, when symptoms appear, cardiologists may recommend the use of some medications to control symptoms, such as antiarrhythmic drugs, for example, which help to control irregular heart beats and prevent ventricular tachycardia that can happen in some rare cases of mitral valve prolapse.

In addition, the use of diuretic medications may be recommended to help remove excess fluid that returns to the lungs, beta-blockers, in case of chest palpitations or pain, and anticoagulants, which help prevent clots.

In the most severe cases, where there is a large leakage of blood into the left atrium, surgery is necessary to repair or replace the mitral valve.