Mitral Valve Prolepses

Introduction
Believe me or not, but Mitral Valve Prolepses (MVP) is the most common of the heart valve abnormalities around the world. According to an estimate around 5-10% of the world’s population is affected by it. Mitral Valve is actually a two-flapped heart valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle. In, a person affected with MVP, one or both of the flaps become so large that it is difficult for the mitral valve to close evenly with each heartbeat. This uneven closing makes the valve to slightly balloon back into the left atrium. This valve allows the flow of oxygenated blood from the left atrium into the left ventricle. The disorder in the valve allows the blood to leak into the left atrium. The MVP syndrome is found to have strong hereditary tendency and women are found to be more prone to it then men. Also in its severe form it is said to lead the patient towards heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.

Alternative Names
It is also known as

Barlow's syndrome
Click murmur syndrome
Floppy-valve syndrome
Billowing mitral valve syndrome

Causes
The major cause behind MVP is the disorder in the Mitral Valve. The problem with the valve is a change of the tissue which results in an enlargement of the leaflets preventing them from getting closed properly. Thus, the leaflets balloons backward into the left atrium when the ventricle contracts causing the blood to flow back into the left atrium. The exact cause to this tissue change is unknown so far however several other factors are attributed to be its cause

Heredity
An atrial septal defect which is high in the wall of the heart.
Pregnancy increases the volume blood ultimately resulting in the increased work load and thus a disorder with the valve.
Overwork
Fatigue
Women with minor chest wall deformities

Risk Factors

Women are more exposed to it than men.
People with family history of MVP.
People with Graves’ disease.
People with Marfan’s syndrome.
People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy or myotonic dystrophy.
People with sickle cell disease.
People with rheumatic heart disease.

Symptoms & Signs
MVP in some cases shows no symptom while in the others a gradual onset of following symptoms is observed.

Chest Pain
Enlargement of the heart
Difficulty in breathing after exercise
Fatigue
Shortness of breath when lying straight
Coughing
Palpations
Tingling of the arms and legs
Problems in swallowing
Memory loss
Chronically cold hands and feet
Migraine headaches
Bodily discomfort especially on arm, back and shoulder

Diagnosis
Traditionally doctors use a stethoscope to hear the clicking sound in the heart right after the contraction in the ventricle. If the blood is leaked through the opening (due to the disorder in the valve) a ‘whooshing’ could be heard right after the click thus confirming MVP. The modern world has introduced the method called Echocardiography. This process uses ultrasound to provide a picture of the chamber of heart which makes it easier to identify the disorder.

Prevention
So far the researchers have not been able to identify any preventive measures but that doesn’t mean that you could not reduce the risk of being affected by it. There are certain precautions and following them could help you stay away from MVP. These precautions are

It has been proved that low salt intake could as well lead to MVP. Thus unless High blood pressure has struck you, you should not cut down the amount of salt in your diet.
Stress full conditions should be highly avoided and try to devise stress relieving techniques for yourself especially concentrating on Yoga.
You should be careful while visiting the doctor .Certain bacteria, which may infect a damaged mitral valve, could be introduced into the blood stream as a result of the dental procedures.

Treatment
Most patients of MVP need no treatment at all. For them a regular check up would be more than enough. As for the other patients, symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and migraine could be dealt with beta-blockers. Patients who have definite click and murmurs need to avoid strong exercises as well as highly competitive sports. Persistent mitral regurgitation could be helped by the usage of antibiotics during dental treatments or other procedures with a risk of the spread of bacteria via blood.

Primary Natural Supplements
VITAMINS

Vitamin B complex

MINERALS

Magnesium

Secondary Natural Supplements
HERBS

Hawthorn

Dietary Guidelines

Remember! Healthy and proper food is the key to healthy and proper life.
It is necessary for you to avoid stimulants, sugar and artificial flavoring agents.
A high salt intake is generally advised.
Plenty of water is beneficial.
A diet rich in vegetables, fruits and fish is good for the heart.

Home Care Suggestions
There are a lot of “natural” therapies available. These therapies range from the behavioral ones to diet modifications and nutritional supplements. These therapies could help you in the reduction of certain symptoms. So go and check them out!

Mind/Body Considerations
Mental stress is highly related to the body especially when it is about the heart condition, which means that relaxing is important. Sit back home, listen music, make use of the therapies, relax and ENJOY!


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