Key Points

• Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a heart condition in which one or both flaps of the mitral valve are floppy or thickened. These abnormal valve flaps prolapse (bulge back) into the left atrium as the left ventricle contracts. This prevents the valve from closing tightly and can allow blood to flow backward through the valve. The backward flow of blood through the valve is called mitral valve regurgitation.
• MVP is one of the more common heart valve conditions. Most often, it’s a lifelong condition that a person is born with. Most people with MVP have no symptoms or problems, need no treatment, and are able to lead normal, active lives.
• Serious complications occur in only a small number of people with MVP. These complications include mitral valve regurgitation, arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms), and infection in the heart (infective endocarditis).
• The most useful test for diagnosing MVP is an echocardiogram with Doppler ultrasound.
• Complications and severe symptoms of MVP are treated with medicines and sometimes with heart valve surgery. The preferred surgery is mitral valve repair, but the mitral valve can be replaced with a mechanical or biological valve as well.
• MVP can't be prevented, but some of its complications can. For people who have MVP with regurgitation and/or thickened valve flaps, antibiotics may be needed before medical or dental procedures (such as surgery or dental cleanings) to prevent infective endocarditis.