The job of the heart is to pump blood through a series of vessels in a unidirectional manner. Blood is sent to the lungs for oxygen, returns to the heart, and is then directed to the body cells. For the circulatory system to function correctly, backward flow must be prevented as it reduces efficiency. The heart maintains unidirectional flow through several valves that prevent blood from regressing. The biggest, most powerful, and most important of these is the mitral valve, which, if loose, can reduce the efficiency of the entire circulatory system.
Anatomy
The cardiac valve most susceptible to being "loose," which is referred to as valve prolapse in medical terminology, is the mitral valve. This is located between the two left chambers of the heart; these chambers are responsible for pumping blood out of the heart and toward the body cells. As oxygenated blood from the lungs returns to the heart, it enters the left atrium, or top left chamber of the heart. From here, blood flows through the mitral valve into the left ventricle. The next heart beat sends blood coursing out of the heart through the arteries, and the mitral valve closes to prevent ventricular blood from flowing back into the atrium--unless the mitral valve is loose, in which case it can prolapse and allow blood to regress, according to MayoClinic.com.
Identification
A physician identifies mitral prolapse by analyzing various signs and symptoms. MayoClinic.com notes that an individual with mitral prolapse often experiences fatigue, dizziness, and feelings of chest pain--these are signs that the circulatory system is not delivering blood to the body cells efficiently. The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that upon physical examination, the physician may hear a heart murmur or faint "clicking" sound.
Prevalence
Medline Plus, an online compendium of information published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, notes that mitral prolapse is not uncommon--around 10% of people have some prolapse, but generally don't experience symptoms. Women have mitral prolapse more commonly than men. Further, most cases of mitral prolapse are congenital, meaning they date from the time of birth. The American Academy of Family Physicians explains that only about 2% of people with mitral prolapse actually experience symptoms or complications and require treatment.
Prevention/Solution
Mitral prolapse can't be prevented, and it is generally not severe enough to require any treatment. For those individuals who experience serious symptoms of prolapse, physicians may prescribe medication to reduce the heart's workload, notes the American Academy of Family Physicians. Beta blockers, which decrease both the rate and strength of heart contractions, alleviate pain and dizziness. MayoClinic.com notes that mitral prolapse can increase the possibility of a blood clot forming in the heart, so some physicians prescribe aspirin to thin the blood in serious cases.
Warning
Even subclinical cases of mitral prolapse carry some risk, notes the American Academy of Family Physicians. Prolapsing mitral valves are susceptible to bacterial infection, particularly the types of bacteria that commonly colonize the mouth. While these bacteria can't normally enter the bloodstream, dental work that causes gum bleeding provides them with an opportunity to enter circulation, and this can lead to infection. Some physicians prescribe prophylactic antibiotics to prevent endocarditis, or heart infection, that patients take before dental cleanings.
