Mitral Valve Prolapse

Understanding your health condition is key to feeling your best.

Martha Gulati, MD, FACC, CardioSmart Editor-in-Chief

Learn about Mitral Valve Prolapse

Each time your heart beats, it first fills with blood and then pumps that blood back out. You have a valve between the upper left chamber of your heart (the atrium) and the lower left chamber (the ventricle) called the mitral valve. This valve keeps blood from flowing backward when it is pumped out.

If you have mitral valve prolapse, your valve does not close properly. This is usually a condition that runs in families and that people are born having. For most people, mitral valve prolapse does not cause any symptoms, and they may not even know they have it. If you do have symptoms from this condition, you may feel like your heart is fluttering (palpitations), or you may feel tired and short of breath or have headaches.

The good news is that unless you develop complications, you may not need treatment and can live well with the condition. Talk with your doctor about whether treatment is necessary. Use this condition center to learn more, create a list of questions to ask your health care provider and get practical tips.

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