Floppy Mitral Valve/Mitral Valve Prolapse and Manifestations Not Related to Mitral Regurgitation: Time to Search the Dark Side of the Moon.

BACKGROUND: Floppy mitral valve/mitral valve prolapse (FMV/MVP) is a complex entity in which several clinical manifestations are not directly related to the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR).

SUMMARY: Patients with FMV/MVP and trivial to mild MR may have exercise intolerance, orthostatic phenomena, syncope/presyncope, chest pain, and ventricular arrhythmias, among others. Several anatomical and pathophysiologic consequences related to the abnormal mitral valve apparatus and to prolapse of the mitral leaflets into the left atrium provide some explanation for these symptoms. Further, it should be emphasized that MVP is a non-specific finding, while FMV (redundant mitral leaflets, elongated/rupture chordae tendineae, annular dilatation) is the central issue in the MVP story.

KEY MESSAGE: The purpose of this review is to highlight the clinical manifestations of FMV/MVP not directly related to the severity of MR and to discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms contributing to these manifestations.