How Is Mitral Valve Prolapse Diagnosed?
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) most often is found during a routine physical exam when your doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to your heart. Your doctor listens for a certain “click” and/or murmur. Stretched valve flaps, as seen in MVP, can make a clicking sound as they shut. If the valve is leaking blood back into the atrium, a murmur or whooshing sound often can be heard. However, these abnormal heart sounds may come and go. Thus, your doctor may not hear them at the time of an exam, even if you have MVP. As a result, you also may have diagnostic tests and procedures to diagnose MVP.
