Tests & Treatments for Mitral Valve Prolapse at University of Colorado Hospital
Tests for Mitral Valve Prolapse
Physical exam
Your doctor will listen to your heart with a stethoscope to detect a whooshing, clicking or gurgling sound (heart murmur). This can be an indication that the mitral valve is not opening or closing properly.
Chest X-Ray
X-ray pictures of your chest will reveal if your heart is enlarged or if fluid has seeped into your lungs.
Ultrasound
The ultrasound test uses a wand that emits high-frequency sound waves to painlessly show how well blood is flowing through the arteries.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram (ECHO), also known as a cardiac ultrasound, uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart.
Electrocardiogram
An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is used to determine the rate and regularity of your heartbeat. The ECG is administered by attaching wires to your body. The wires detect electrical signals from the heart, which are recorded on a machine for the doctor’s review.
Treatments for Mitral Valve Prolapse
Even if you have mitral valve prolapsed, the condition may not be serious enough to require treatment. However, if the valve leakage is serious enough, your doctor may try to treat the condition either with medication or with surgery.
Medical Treatments for Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Antibiotics prevent or treat endocarditis, or inflammation of the lining of the heart
- Anti-coagulant drugs prevent blood clots
- Blood thinners prevent blood clots
- Diuretics remove excess fluid that has leaked into the lungs
- Digitalis increases the strength of the heart’s contractions
- Other drugs prevent irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
- Vasodilators widen the blood vessels so that the heart can pump more easily
Mitral Valve Repair/Replacement
If the mitral valve malfunction seriously affects the flow of blood away from your heart, your surgeon may decide to repair or replace it with open heart surgery.