Introduction
Mitral valve prolapse is a displacement of the mitral valve when the heart contracts. This is also commonly called “floppy” mitral valve or “Barlow’s syndrome. It is the most common heart valve abnormality, affecting five to ten percent of the world population.
Mitral valve prolapse has a strong hereditary tendency, although the exact cause is unknown. Affected family members are often tall, thin, with long arms and fingers, and straight backs. It is seen most commonly in women from 20 to 40 years old, but also occurs in men.
Unfortunately, it is also one of the most commonly misunderstood - both by patients and their doctors.