What is the Difference Between Mitral Valve Prolapse and Regurgitation

The mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation are two heart valve conditions that affect the function of the mitral valve. The mitral valve controls the blood flow from the heart’s left atrium to the left ventricle. Heart valve conditions can affect the mitral valve function.

The key difference between mitral valve prolapse and mitral valve regurgitation is their cause. In mitral valve prolapse, the cusps of the mitral valve become enlarged or stretched, while in mitral valve regurgitation, there is a leakage of blood backward through the mitral valve each time the left ventricle contracts.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Mitral Valve Prolapse  
3. What is Mitral Valve Regurgitation
4. Similarities – Mitral Valve Prolapse and Regurgitation
5. Mitral Valve Prolapse vs Regurgitation in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Mitral Valve Prolapse vs Regurgitation
7. FAQ – Mitral Valve Prolapse and Regurgitation

What is Mitral Valve Prolapse?

Mitral valve prolapse, also described as Barlow syndrome, is a type of heart valve disease in which the flaps or leaflets of the mitral valve become enlarged or stretched. The symptoms of this condition may vary depending on the severity of the prolapse. The symptoms may include racing heartbeat, dizziness, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and chest pain. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with this condition than men.  Mitral valve prolapse can run in families and may be connected to several other conditions, including Marfan syndrome and muscular dystrophy.

Mitral valve prolapse can be diagnosed through physical examination, transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), chest X-ray, and stress test. Furthermore, treatment options for mitral valve prolapse include life style changes (stop smoking, healthy diet, maintain weight, physical exercises, etc.), prescribing medications that will control the heart rate, draining fluid from the lungs, and preventing blood clots,  mitral valve repair, and replacement surgery.

What is Mitral Valve Regurgitation?

Mitral valve regurgitation is the backward flow of blood through mitral valve due to trouble closing fully. The symptoms of this condition are shortness of breath, atypical chest pain, coughing, swelling in the legs, feeling extremely tired, feeling like fainting without actual fainting, and heart palpitation. Mitral valve regurgitation happens when the valve fails to fully close.

Mitral valve regurgitation can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), transesophageal echocardiogram, cardiac CT scan, exercise stress test, heart MRI, and cardiac catheterization. Furthermore, treatment options for mitral valve regurgitation include minimal invasive mitral valve repair, mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, mitral valve replacement, transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR), medications to heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.

Similarities Between Mitral Valve Prolapse and Regurgitation

1. Mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation are two heart valve conditions.
2. Mitral valve regurgitation happens due to mitral valve prolapse.
3. Both these conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination and cardiovascular imaging techniques.
4. They can be treated through medications and surgeries.

Difference Between Mitral Valve Prolapse and Regurgitation

Definition

1. Mitral valve prolapse is a condition that arises when the two valve flaps of the mitral valve do not close evenly.
2. Mitral valve regurgitation is a condition caused due to the leaky valve in the heart.

Causes

1. Mitral valve prolapse runs in families and may be linked to several other conditions like Marfan syndrome, muscular dystrophy, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Ebstein anomaly, Graves’ disease, and scoliosis.
2. Mitral valve regurgitation can be caused by mitral valve prolapse, rheumatic heart disease, connective tissue disease, cleft mitral valve, endocarditis, radiation heart disease, traumatic injury, ischemic cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, dilated cardiomyopathy, and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Symptoms

1. Symptoms of mitral valve prolapse include racing or irregular heartbeat, dizziness or lightheadedness, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, and fatigue.
2. Symptoms of  mitral valve regurgitation include fatigue, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, the feeling of a rapid, pounding or fluttering heartbeat, and swollen feet or ankles.

Diagnosis

1. Mitral valve prolapse can be diagnosed by physical examination, echocardiogram, chest X-ray, exercise stress test, and cardiac catheterization.
2. Mitral valve regurgitation can be diagnosed by medical examination, physical examination, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, cardiac MRI, exercise stress test, and cardiac catheterization.

Treatment

1. Mitral valve prolapse can be treated by beta-blockers, water pills (diuretics), heart rhythm drugs, blood thinners, antibiotics, mitral valve repair and replacement done by using open heart surgery or minimally invasive surgery.
2. Mitral valve regurgitation can be treated by water pills (diuretics), blood thinners, blood thinners, also called anticoagulants and Blood pressure medicines, mitral valve surgery and mitral valve repair.

The following table summarizes the difference between mitral valve prolapse and mitral valve regurgitation.

Summary – Mitral Valve Prolapse vs Regurgitation

Mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation are two heart valve conditions. Mitral valve regurgitation happens due to mitral valve prolapse. However, in mitral valve prolapse, the flaps of the mitral valve enlarge and stretch inward toward the left atrium, while in mitral valve regurgitation, blood leaks from an improperly closed mitral valve back to the heart. This is the basic difference between mitral valve prolapse and mitral valve regurgitation.

FAQ: Mitral Valve Prolapse and Regurgitation

1. Can stress cause mitral valve prolapse?

• Anxiety, depression, and panic attacks may be associated with mitral valve prolapse. But, it is mainly caused by inherited and other conditions such as Marfan syndrome, muscular dystrophy, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Ebstein anomaly, Graves’ disease, and scoliosis.

2. What are the symptoms of a mitral valve problem?

• The symptoms of mitral valve prolapse include shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pains, dizziness, swelling of the ankles or legs, cough or heart palpitations, and a racing or irregular heartbeat.

3. What is the best treatment for mitral valve prolapse?

• Most people with mitral valve prolapse do not need surgery. They can be treated by giving medications such as beta blockers, water pills (diuretics), heart rhythm drugs, blood thinners, antibiotics, but surgery may be recommended such as mitral valve repair or mitral valve replacement if mitral prolapse causes severe mitral valve regurgitation.

4. What are the symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation?

• The symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation include shortness of breath with exertion, shortness of breath when lying flat, fatigue, reduced ability to exercise, unpleasant awareness of the heartbeat, heart palpitation, swelling in the legs, abdomen, and veins in the neck, and chest pain.

5. What is the best treatment for mitral valve regurgitation?

• The treatment of mitral valve regurgitation may include regular health checkups, healthy lifestyle changes, medicines to treat symptoms and prevent complications like blood clots, and surgery to repair or replace the valve.

Reference:

1. “Mitral Valve Regurgitation: What You Need to Know.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Mitral Valve Regurgitation.” Penn Medicine.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Mitral Valve Prolapse” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Mitral Valve Regurgitation” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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