Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) occurs when one of your heart's valves doesn't work properly. MVP is one of the more common heart valve conditions. Most often, it's a lifelong condition that a person is born with. Most people with MVP have no symptoms or problems, need no treatment, and are able to lead normal, active lives.
MVP puts you at risk for infective endocarditis, a kind of heart infection. To prevent it, doctors used to prescribe antibiotics before dental work or certain surgeries. Now, only people at high risk of endocarditis need the antibiotics.
If you need treatment for MVP, medicines can help relieve symptoms or prevent complications. Very few people will need surgery to repair or replace the mitral valve.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Also available in Spanish
Also available in Spanish
Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
---|---|---|
Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
Also available in Spanish
Also available in Spanish
Also available in Spanish
Also available in Spanish
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Home | Health Topics | Drugs & Supplements | Encyclopedia | Dictionary | News | Directories | Other Resources | |
Disclaimers | Copyright | Privacy | Accessibility | Quality Guidelines U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 National Institutes of Health | Department of Health & Human Services |
Date last updated: 07 January 2009 Topic last reviewed: 21 November 2008 |