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[trish]

hi, my name is Trish and Ive been diagnosed with mitral-valve-prolapse, i was told by cardiologist i would have to take atenolol for rest of my life. am i going to have to have surgery eventually and what is exactly mitral valve prolapse and does it lead into heart attacks eventually, please give me info on anything about this. thank you from Texas

 

[RandyL]

hi, my name is trish and ive been diagionoised with mitro-valve-prolapse, i was told by cardologist i would have to take antennol for rest of my life. am i going to have to have surgery eventuallyand what is exactly mitro valve prolapse and does it lead into heart attacks eventually, please give me info on anything about this. thank you from texas

Trish, you need to start a new thread so thatmore people can see it and answer all your questions. Welcome

 

[hensylee]

Hey, Trish and welcome to ValveReplacement - I can't answer but we have lots and lots of members who can give you all the info you need. Don't know where they are - Hey y'all out there, come on in. We need stuff here. While waiting for them, read and read what is already in here.

 

[davidfortune]

Trish

Welcome. Sorry you're here but glad you found us....

The mitral valve is the valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart. The left side of the heart pumps blood to the entire body. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs to dump CO2 and pickup Oxygen. Click this link to see a diagram of the heart. Heart Diagram

Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) means the valve is "floppy" and folds the wrong direction when the heart beats. This may allow blood to leak back into the left atrium instead of being held in the left ventricle as it should be.

MVP does not cause heart attacks. Generally MVP is fairly benign and requires more "management" than direct treatment. Treatment is necessary if the MVP causes significant regurgitation (leakage) of blood back into the left atrium. Management/Treatment ranges from diet and exercise changes, to drugs, to surgery (in the smaller percentage of cases).

Some links to read about MVP

Mayo Clinic

Texas Heart Institute

National Institue of Health (NIH)

Be cautious of internet sources of information. There are a couple of websites that state medically incorrect info regarding MVP. I would suggest using well known, well respected sources for decision making and information gathering.

Good luck.
David

 

[MrP]

Beta blocker may have been prescribed for hypertension or more likely to reduce palpitations....not sure about the need to take this the rest of your life and would advise you get a second opinion from another experienced cardiologist at some point in time. At least ask your existing cardiologist to explain the need for this in more detail. Side effects from beta blocker meds sometimes include lightheadedness and dizziness from blood pressure drops....management of dosage is key. Most people with MVP do not require surgery, but as stated above, surgery may be indicated with severe regurgitation (leakage back into the left atrium). You may want to ask your cardiologist about your echo test results and the ranking of any regurgitation (on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 more severe), as well as measurement data for the size of your left atrium and left ventricle.
MVP does not cause heart attacks which result from restriction of coronary arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the heart. With severe regurgitation, backflow may lead to backup of blood to the lungs and reduced oxygenated blood flow throughout your body, i.e., heart failure.
Best,
MrP

 

[aussiemember]

Hi Trish,

I have mitral valve prolapse. Most people with MVP do not need any treatment and only need to take the precaution of taking antibiotics before any dental work or surgery to prevent infection. However, a SMALL amount of mitral valve prolapse patients will need surgery to replace the valve. This is because the amount of regurgitation (blood flowing backwards) has gotten to a point where there is a danger it will damage the heart if nothing is done. Can you ask your doctor for the results of your tests?

 

[catwoman]

Trish:

Welcome!

Is your cardiologist in Dayton? You may want to consult with a cardio in Houston at the Texas Heart Institute.
Get copies of all health records & echoes. I saw your health history in your profile, so I'm sure you're used to getting copies of your records.

Most people with MVP never require surgery, just monitoring with periodic echoes and perhaps medication. Those of us here who had MV repair/replacement are in the minority.

Post-op, I bought used copies of the Cleveland Clinic's & Mayo Clinic's heart books at Half Price Books. There should be HPB locations near you, perhaps in Cleveland or Humble, if not Dayton. These are excellent books, well worth a search for them.

 

[Adrienne]

Everyone above has just explained exactly the things I was going to say. I will reiterate that you should get a copy of your last echocardiogram report. When you do, you can post a message to us telling us the degree of regurgitation, the measurement of your left atrium and of your left ventricle, as well as your ejection fraction.