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.
This video explains the main symptoms of COVID-19 and how the new coronavirus might make existing heart conditions worse.
Many people around the world are concerned about the new coronavirus. While it is important to protect yourself from infection, heart attacks and strokes do not stop during a pandemic.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still important to call 911 if you or someone you know is experiencing warning signs of a heart attack or stroke.
In this Mended Hearts webinar, CardioSmart Editor-in-Chief Martha Gulati offers advice on what you can do to protect your heart during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
People with heart disease seem to be at higher risk of developing serious illness from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
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Tell us how you are living well with heart disease for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
Tell us how you are living well with heart disease for a chance to win a trip for two to Washington, D.C., in March 2017!
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