M I T R A L  V A L V E  P R O L A P S E
HeartPoint animation: this will take approximately 15 seconds to load.




The "mitral valve" is a structure in the heart which is between the upper chamber on the left side of the heart (the "left atrium") and the lower chamber on the left (the "left ventricle"). The mitral valve opens when the lower chamber is "resting", allowing blood to flow in, and then closes as the left ventricle contracts, preventing blood from going backwards.

Stretching of the connective tissue of which the valve is made of allows the valve to stretch or bow slightly into the left atrium (the medical term for this is "prolapse"). The doctor can often hear this with the stethoscope as a "click", and see it on the echocardiogram and perhaps other tests as well.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common condition, occurring in up to 20% of the population. Is more common in females, in those who are tall with long arms and legs, and tends to run in families. In most cases, it is quite benign. I like to compare it to being "double-jointed", a case in which the joint itself is perfectly normal, but the supporting structures are lax, and allow the person to obtain unusual, but not dangerous, positions.

©COPY 1997 HeartPoint    Updated July 1997

 



|  Commentary  |  Food You Will Love  |  HeartPoint Gallery  |  In The News |  Health Tips  |   What's New
|  Information Center  |  Home  |

This site presents material for your information, education and entertainment. We can assume no liability for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. Above all, material on this site should not take the place of the care you receive from a personal physician. It is simply designed to help in the understanding of the heart and heart disease, and not as a diagnostic or therapeutic aid. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues. Please feel free to browse the site and download material for personal and non-commercial use. You may not however distribute, modify, transmit or reuse any of these materials for public or commercial use. You should assume that all contents of the site are copyrighted. ©COPY;1997 HeartPoint