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mitral valve prolapse
 
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common heart disorder that occurs when the valve between the heart's left upper chamber (left atrium) and the left lower chamber (left ventricle) does not close properly. When the left ventricle contracts, the valve's leaflets bulge upward or back into the atrium. Mitral valve prolapse sometimes leads to blood leaking backward into the left atrium, a condition called mitral valve regurgitation.
 
Symptoms
Symptoms may include:
  • racing or irregular heartbeat
  • dizziness or lightheadedness
  • difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • fatigue
  • chest pain 
 
Causes
Mitral valve prolapse can be inherited, with the disorder frequently running in families. People with Marfan syndrome as well as those with connective tissue disorders have an increased risk of MVP. Other conditions that are sometimes linked to mitral valve prolapse include Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, adult polycystic kidney disease and Ebstein's anomaly.

 
Treatments
Treatment may include:

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Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton Hamilton. Phone: 609-586-7900 Physician Referral: 609-584-5900.

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