Re: MVP with regurgitation

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - CRC on November 30, 1998 at 08:50:06:

In Reply to: MVP with regurgitation posted by William on November 28, 1998 at 07:23:05:






I am a 68 year old male and have been diagnosed with MVP with regurgitation. Two questions. Does this condition ever improve by itself or with treatment? And, is Lopressor a reasonable medicine for this condition? If so, what does it do?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear William,

No, mitral valve prolapse will not improve on it's own and yes lopressor (a beta-blockers) is a reasonable medication for rapid heart beats associated with MVP. Here is some additional information on MVP.
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a condition of the mitral valve where the leaflets of the valve cross back into the atrium (upper chamber) of the heart during the pumping phase of the heartbeat.  It is more common in women and has been associated (but not demonstrated to cause) with a number of symptoms such as palpitations, panic attacks and other complaints.  It is more common in women.   There may be some back-flow of blood into the atrium due to the prolapse and this is called mitral regurgitation.  
MVP is generally a benign process and does not require any special treatment or cause for concern.  If there is mitral regurgitation associated with MVP antibiotics are recommended before dental procedures and certain other medical procedures to reduce the risk of an infection starting on the valve (endocarditis).  Severe regurgitation due to MVP may require surgery to repair the valve.
Supraventricular tachycardias are fast heart beats originating from the upper chambers of the heart.  They may be associated with MVP and are often treated with beta-blockers.  Potential side-effects of beta-blockers are fatigue, depression and impotence in men.  If you notice any of these symptoms you should notify your doctor.  Here are some additional websites with information.

http://www.stayhealthy.com/hrdfiles/hrd00277.html
http://www.beWELL.com/healthy/woman/1997/mvp/
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/6911/
http://www.rxmed.com/illnesses/mitral_valve_prolapse.html
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.  Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.  The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.




MVP