Information on Mitral Valve Prolapse

Approximately 4 percent of the general population has mitral valve prolapse, a condition that occurs when the mitral valve bulges into the left atrium as the left ventricle in the heart contracts. Although it can be diagnosed based on a stethoscope examination, an electrocardiogram and echocardiogram are typically used to confirm the diagnosis. A mitral valve prolapse is not especially serious, and activities generally do not need to be limited; however, this will be determined on a case-by-case basis.