Prolapse and heart rhythm

[ama16]

Hi ! I'm writing here cause I'm tired of looking for answers. I'm 26 years old and I'm a very anxious person with a mitral valve Prolapse. I really need some cardiologist's help. It has happened 3 times in my life where i feel like i cant breathe and literally my heart starts pounding like crazy (probably has gotten to 180) i drink a betablocker right away (concord) and by the time i get to the ER it has already slow down to  95. The ER has never seen my heart racing from the beginning, so they say i get nervous and that's why it races. I know for sure i get nervous, but not for a heart to race in 180, and it doesn't feel pounding, it feels like small heart beats. I know it's racing cause of the coughing, & i know how to take my pulse. Once they told me it was dehydration. but i eat well, don't drink alcohol and the only thing they found is the Prolapse. Is it normal that the Mitral Valve Prolapse gives me tachicardia attacks. It happened yesterday and now i woke up really anxious.

[tom_h]

While it is said that structural issues can cause tachycardia, if I had a guess, I'd say your problem is electrical in nature and not associated with MVP.  200bpm is quite fast.  Yes, it can occur sitting still while watching TV, eating a meal, driving, etc. As I aged, my SVT occured more at rest than under physical exertion as it did when I was younger.

[Jerry_NJ]

The ECG is effective only if it is connected when the event occurs.  This is why many of us had to wear a long term monitor to capture the "electrical" event(s).

Of course, if you can get to ER while the event is in progress the ECG (EKG) could capture useful diagnostic information.  

As Tom said, it is unlikely that you are in any immediate danger, and an August appointment with a cardiologist should work out fine.  Just be positive of mind while prepared to take emergency action if the problem gets worse, or lasts longer, long enough to get treatment at an emergency room.  

[ama16]

But can a MVP cause your heart to get to 200 beats per minute?? while you're resting? When it happened i took my heart rate and it was in 200 or more. this has only happened three times in my life, but at my age is not normal. Plus, my friends all have MVP and they don't feel a thing. I ask through here cause i live in a small island and the best cardiologist here can only give me an appointment for August. But regular doctors seem to only find a MVP. If i have something else could it be noticed in a ECG right away?

[tom_h]

There are number of things that can cause tachycardia:
Reaction to certain medications , electrical pathway abnormalities in the heart, consumption of alcohol, cocaine and some other recreational drugs, and electrolyte imbalance are among the many causes.  But what kind of tachycadia is it?  That would be my question.  Is it a sinus tachycardia, or could it be an electrical pathway abnormality?  Do the symptoms ramp up and down, or do they begin and end abruptly?  I've said on here a number of times to forum members that are experiencing symptoms, and who claim to be nervous or anxious. "DO NOT FREELY OFFER THIS FACT TO YOUR PHYSICIAN!" Go there with a list of your symptoms, thorough descriptions, heart rates, how it started, how it ended, what you were doing, etc. and let the physician make the call; don't lead him.  Telling him that you're anxious may send you down the path of a misdiagnosis.

If one of these event occur, it would be in your best interest to go immediately to the nearest ER and have them administer an ECG.  Then you have the evidence.  A pathway abnormality can be fixed, and you'll never have to worry about it again.  If the tachycardia is coming from another source they'll be able find where it's coming from.  My cardiologist pleaded with me to come to the ER as soon as a tachycardia event occured, but due to the number of events that I had, I wore an event monitor for 30 days, and captured two of them.  From there it was an easy diagnosis and onto a cure.  The event may feel uncomfortable but most likely is not life threatening.  You should go in that state without delay to the nearest ER for a recording of it.

[Jerry_NJ]

My guess is the MVP isn't causing the high HR.  If the MVP is severe enough to cause that I'd think you doctor would want to take some action.  I suffered for many rears with MV leakage/prolapse that had to be corrected when I was 67, much older than you.  The point being that "minor" MVP is rather common and usually has few or no conscious symptoms. I didn't notice anything in my case until I was in my mid-50s when I noticed some irregularity in my HR, not high, just irregular.  In my case I had developed atrial fibrillation.  The many years of MPV may have contributed to that, but I did not undergo surgery until the leakage got bad enough to cause enlargement of my heat... the atrium chamber doesn't stand up well to the pressure the ventricle generages.

I am not trying to say you need a MV repair, I doubt very much that is the case, but as said at the beginning I am just "guessing" and I know nothing other than what you posted.  My experience is given mostly for the case that you suffer from a minor MVP condition and my case suggests it does not cause any problems in the younger years.