Mitral valve prolapsed

Your doctor will generally perform several tests to better understand your heart before making a diagnosis.

In most cases, your doctor will initially detect MVP when using a stethoscope to listen to your heart. If you have the condition, your heart may make a clicking sound when it beats. This sound is usually more noticeable when you are standing. Hearing this click might lead your doctor to order further tests.

Your doctor may order an X-ray or an echocardiogram. Both of these tests provide images of your heart, but the echocardiogram shows more structural details. Your doctor can check the images to see if you have MVP or regurgitation. Depending on your condition, your doctor may also perform a cardiac catheterization. In this procedure, dye (which is visible on X-rays) is injected into the arteries of your heart using a catheter (tube) that has been threaded through a blood vessel in your neck, arm, or upper thigh.

Your doctor might ask you to exercise on a treadmill or perform some other physical activity to see how your heart responds. This is called a stress test.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a way to check your heartbeat for irregularities. It is a recording of a few seconds of your heart’s electrical activity. This can help your doctor diagnose mitral valve prolapse or other heart conditions.

In most cases, you won’t need any treatment for mitral valve prolapse. However, if you have noticeable symptoms, your doctor might choose to treat your condition.

Treatment often involves taking medications to help relieve any symptoms you’re experiencing. Possible medications your doctor might prescribe include:

aspirin to reduce the risk of blood clots

beta blockers to prevent your heart from beating irregularly and to improve blood flow

blood thinners to prevent blood clots

diuretics to remove excess fluid from the lungs

vasodilators to widen the blood vessels and improve blood flow

If your condition is more serious, such as if you have severe regurgitation or impaired heart function, you may need surgery. There are two basic types of surgery for this issue: valve replacement and valve repair. Your doctor will generally opt to repair the valve if possible.