Mitral valve prolapse: symptoms, tests, treatment and doctor
What mitral valve prolapse is, why it is usually harmless, the symptoms and tests, when a leaky valve needs treatment, and when to see a cardiologist.
Also known as: Barlow's syndrome; Floppy valve syndrome; MVP
What mitral valve prolapse is
The heart has four valves that keep blood flowing in one direction. The mitral valve sits between the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart. It has two thin flaps, called leaflets, which open to let blood into the main pumping chamber and close tightly when the heart squeezes. In mitral valve prolapse (MVP), one or both leaflets are floppy or slightly enlarged and bulge backwards into the upper chamber as the heart pumps.
For most people MVP is a harmless finding that never causes problems and needs nothing more than an occasional check-up. In some, the valve does not seal properly and blood leaks backwards, a condition called mitral regurgitation. A small leak is common and usually unimportant. A large leak, which develops in a minority of people over years, makes the heart work harder and may eventually need treatment.
MVP is different from rheumatic heart disease, which is still an important cause of mitral valve damage in India. Rheumatic disease follows untreated throat infections in childhood and scars the valve, often narrowing it. Your cardiologist can tell the two apart on an echocardiogram.
Symptoms
Most people with MVP have no symptoms, and the condition is found when a doctor hears a click or murmur through the stethoscope, or on a scan done for another reason. When symptoms occur, they may include:
- Palpitations — a feeling of a racing, pounding or skipped heartbeat
- Chest pain that is usually brief and sharp and not linked to exertion, unlike angina
- Breathlessness, especially with exertion or lying flat, when there is a significant leak
- Tiredness or reduced exercise capacity
- Dizziness or light-headedness
It is not always clear whether symptoms such as palpitations or chest discomfort are caused by the valve itself. Your doctor will look for other causes too, including arrhythmia, thyroid problems and anxiety. Any new chest pain on exertion should be checked for heart disease regardless of MVP.
Causes and risk factors
In most people the cause is not known. The valve tissue is more stretchy than usual, sometimes as an inherited trait, so MVP can run in families. It is more common in people with connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and in people with certain chest wall shapes or curvature of the spine (scoliosis). It is often first noticed in young adults.
How it is diagnosed
A doctor may suspect MVP after hearing a characteristic click, sometimes followed by a murmur, when listening to the heart. The diagnosis is confirmed with tests:
- Echocardiogram — an ultrasound scan of the heart. It is the key test, showing the shape and movement of the valve, how much blood leaks back and how the heart chambers are coping. Sometimes a more detailed scan through the food pipe (transoesophageal echo) is needed, especially before surgery.
- ECG — records the heart's rhythm and can show extra beats or other rhythm problems.
- Holter monitor — a portable ECG worn for a day or more if palpitations come and go.
- Chest X-ray, exercise testing or cardiac MRI in selected cases, to assess the size of the heart and the severity of the leak.
Treatment
Most people with MVP and little or no leak need no treatment at all. Your cardiologist will suggest regular monitoring, with a check-up and repeat echocardiogram at intervals that depend on how much the valve leaks.
Medicines
If palpitations or chest discomfort are troublesome, medicines such as beta blockers may help by slowing the heart and calming extra beats. Reducing caffeine, alcohol and nicotine helps some people. If a significant leak causes fluid build-up, water tablets and other medicines for heart failure may be used. People who develop atrial fibrillation, an irregular rhythm, may need medicines to control the rhythm and blood thinners to lower the risk of stroke.
Surgery and procedures
When the valve leaks severely, especially if it causes symptoms or starts to enlarge or weaken the heart, an operation may be recommended. Mitral valve repair, in which the surgeon reshapes the leaflets and supports the valve, is usually preferred because it keeps your own valve. When repair is not possible, valve replacement with a mechanical or tissue valve is done. Some centres offer minimally invasive surgery, and for people at high surgical risk a catheter-based procedure can clip the leaflets together to reduce the leak. Your cardiologist and cardiac surgeon will discuss the right timing and approach.
Living with mitral valve prolapse
- Most people with MVP can live a normal, active life, including exercise and sport; ask your cardiologist if you have a significant leak or rhythm problems
- Keep follow-up appointments, even if you feel well
- Look after your teeth and gums and see a dentist regularly, because good oral health lowers the risk of a rare but serious valve infection called endocarditis
- Tell your dentist and doctors that you have MVP. Most people with MVP do not need antibiotics before dental work, but your cardiologist will tell you if you do, for example after valve surgery
- Women planning pregnancy should discuss it with their cardiologist; most women with MVP have uncomplicated pregnancies
- Report new breathlessness, swelling of the feet, palpitations or reduced exercise tolerance
When it is an emergency
Call 112 or 108, or go to the nearest emergency department, if you have:
- Chest pain that is severe, crushing or lasts more than a few minutes
- Sudden severe breathlessness, or breathlessness at rest
- Fainting, or a fast irregular heartbeat with dizziness or chest pain
- Sudden weakness of one side, a drooping face or trouble speaking, which may be a stroke
- Fever with new breathlessness or tiredness after a dental or other procedure, which may need urgent assessment for endocarditis
Which doctor to see
A general physician may first hear a murmur or click. A cardiologist confirms the diagnosis, assesses the leak and plans follow-up. A cardiothoracic surgeon is involved when valve repair or replacement is being considered.
You can find cardiologists in Bengaluru or cardiothoracic surgeons in Bengaluru on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check.
Common questions
Questions people ask
- Is mitral valve prolapse dangerous?
- Usually not. Most people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms and a normal life expectancy. A smaller group develop a significant leak or rhythm problems that need treatment, which is why periodic check-ups with a cardiologist are advised.
- Can I exercise and play sports with MVP?
- Most people with MVP can exercise normally. If you have a large leak, an enlarged heart, fainting episodes or rhythm problems, your cardiologist may advise limits on very intense activity. Ask for advice specific to your scan results.
- Do I need antibiotics before dental treatment?
- Most people with mitral valve prolapse do not. Antibiotics before dental work are now generally reserved for people at highest risk, such as those with an artificial valve or past endocarditis. Your cardiologist will tell you if this applies to you.
- Will my mitral valve prolapse get worse over time?
- In many people it stays the same for life. In some, the leak slowly increases over years. Repeat echocardiograms help your cardiologist spot any change early, so that treatment such as valve repair can be planned before the heart is damaged.
This condition is usually assessed by a cardiologist. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Cardiologists in Bangalore
A few cardiologists listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Mitral Valve Prolapse; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
- Angina
- Arrhythmia
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Heart Attack
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Government of India — Emergency Response Support System (112)
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Mitral Valve Prolapse — Public-domain health-topic summary
Mitral valve prolapse: symptoms, tests, treatment and doctor is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-1573.