Causes Of Mitral Valve Prolapse

The mitral valve is a valve that allows blood flow from one chamber of the heart, the left atrium, to another called the left ventricle. In mitral valve prolapse, the valve slips backward due to the abnormal size of or damage to the mitral valve tissues. Mitral valve prolapse is a common cause of a heart murmur caused by a "leaky" heart valve. For most people with mitral valve prolapse, the cause is unknown. It can be caused by conditions in which cartilage is abnormal (connective tissue disease). Most people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms. However, in certain patients chest pain is the most frequent symptom. Other symptoms may include rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, anxiety and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. …show more content…
In addition, a doctor may suspect mitral valve prolapse after listening to someone's heart with a stethoscope because of the “click” sound that the abnormal movement of the mitral valve can make. Mitral valve prolapse causes no problems for most people, so treatment is usually not