There is a common condition of the heart, that causes concerning symptoms in some patients who have it and it is called “Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome”. Other patients with the same heart condition, do not have symptoms from it and in this case, it is simply called “Mitral Valve Prolapse” (drop the “Syndrome” off the end of the term). Abbreviated, the terms are “MVP” and “MVPS”.

Some research articles state that MVP is a common finding in thyroid disease patients, which could mean that thyroid disease may be one of several possible triggers for this syndrome or may aggravate the condition in people who already had it, prior to the onset of their thyroid diseases.

In this article, I want to address MVPS, the type that causes symptoms. It is a type of heart murmur, also called a “click murmur” due to a clicking sound that can be heard in the heart, with each beat. The clicking according to medical resources, is caused by the “Mitral Valve Leaflets” becoming somewhat stretched out, so that they are slightly loose or they develop scar tissue on them and become thickened and both of these will cause them to have a slight vibration-effect, when the heart beats, and also causes mild “regurgitation” (blood seepage from the valve) that is picked up as a clicking sound (murmur) on a stethoscope. Other patients may not have a clicking sound that is as easily heard through a stethoscope but if symptoms they are experiencing, point to MVP, a more sensitive test may be used for detection, called an Echocardiogram. This test uses the same principle as a Sonogram, that women who are pregnant get, to monitor the progress of their babies. Sound waves are sent into the area to be observed and they are transmitted onto an image on a screen, so that even the tiniest movement can be seen. This is how patients with more difficult to detect MVP, can be diagnosed or have the condition ruled out as causing their symptoms.

More severe cases of MVP, cause a more severe form of “regurgitation”, meaning the blood-leakage from the valves is more significant, when the heart beats. Heart valves of course are supposed to be self-contained, so that blood flows through without leakage from them but with MVP Regurgitation, blood does escape from the valves and this more severe form will sometimes require surgery to correct it however, it is a rare form of MVP.

What are the symptoms of MVP? Well, as stated in this article’s title, a racing heart (tachycardia), heart skips and heart flutters are part of the symptoms but MVPS sufferers, also have fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, anxiety symptoms such as panic attacks, “Orthostatic Hypotension” (you also get dizzy upon standing from a seated or lying down position) and sensitivities to chemicals like caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, chocolate and too much sugar.

The chemical sensitivities I mention, are triggers, that cause worsening of symptoms in patients with MVPS and the Orthostatic Hypotension, also called “Orthostatic Intolerance”, is also classified as a form of “Dysautonomia”, meaning you have a slight disregulation of the “Involuntary Nervous System” (INS). Some researchers believe the dysautonomia found in some MVP patients, is what actually causes the syndrome (MVPS) because the Involuntary Nervous System plays a major role in regulating heart rate and blood pressure and when it becomes disregulated due to MVP, this is what causes symptoms, resulting in the syndrome.

In regard to anxiety symptoms found in MVPS, it has been long known that MVP is notorious for causing anxiety attacks and panic attacks and many patients are diagnosed with Anxiety Disorders, due to this underlying medical condition. If these patients can control the symptoms of MVPS, the anxiety symptoms will also be alleviated to a large degree.

See my article in "Related Conditions", in regard to treatments for this common heart condition.