Mitral Valve Prolapse is the most common heart valve disorder that is suffered in our country. It can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and fatigue eventually requiring surgery. This heart valve condition can affect any person and sometimes goes undetected until the symptoms appear which can turn out deadly for patients with prior heart conditions. In a few cases, the symptoms can be mild that patients ignore until more severe ones show up.
It is important to raise awareness about this condition to help patients detect it better and take adequate measures in the event the symptoms show up. So in this blog with the inputs from leading heart transplant surgeon Dr Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale we provide essential information about this condition.
What is Mitral Valve Prolapse?
The Mitral valve is one of the four valves inside the heart that regulate and control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart. A properly functioning mitral valve closes to ensure the blood flow forward and stops the blood from flowing backwards.
Mitral valve prolapse happens when the valve is abnormally structured and as a result doesn’t perfectly perform its valve duties. The blood tends to flow backwards and this backflow results in sub-optimal functioning of the heart. The severity of the mitral valve prolapse depends on the amount of blood that flows back.
Mitral Valve Prolapse – Causes:
“Abnormal structure of the mitral valve causes mitral valve prolapse. Valve leaflets being too long, loose, or stretched out to function normally is often the case in mitral valve prolapse. However the root cause of this abnormal structure of mitral valve is not yet identified”, says a leading expert in heart transplant surgery in Hyderabad, Dr Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale.
Mitral Valve Prolapse – Symptoms:
As said above the symptoms and their severity depends on the backflow of the blood. In a few mild cases, symptoms may not even show up. In cases that do, the following symptoms are common:
- Irregular heart beat
- Fatigue & tiredness
- Cough & shortness of breath
- Anxiety and racing heart
- Light-heartedness or dizziness
- Chest pain
In rare cases, these symptoms may worsen and can result in arrhythmia, infection of heart tissue or even heart failure. So any individual with the above symptoms must consult a heart specialist to ensure the condition is kept in check.
Mitral Valve Prolapse Treatment: Mild cases of mitral valve prolapse usually do not require any treatment. However close surveillance after consultation with a heart specialist is the ideal way to avoid worsening of the symptoms.
Treatment is mandatory in cases where significant backflow of the blood happens. Close surveillance, medication, and surgery are three options prescribed in such cases. Mitral valve repair, Valve replacement and MitraClip are some of the common surgical procedures performed by heart surgeons to treat mitral valve prolapse. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above it is advised to consult a heart specialist at the earliest. If you are in Hyderabad, you can directly contact and make an appointment with leading heart specialist in Telangana DR Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale here: 9603040506
