Mitral valve prolapse: Can it thicken the aorta?

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  • With Mayo Clinic cardiologist

    Martha Grogan, M.D.

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Question

Mitral valve prolapse: Can it thicken the aorta?

Can mitral valve prolapse cause the aorta to thicken?

Answer

from Martha Grogan, M.D.

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Illustration of heart showing mitral valve prolapse 
Mitral valve prolapse

Mitral valve prolapse doesn't cause the aorta to thicken. The aorta is the large blood vessel that branches off the heart to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the body. In some cases, however, people who have mitral valve prolapse may have problems with their aorta. This is especially likely if a person has Marfan syndrome or another connective tissue disorder.

Mitral valve prolapse is a heart disorder that occurs when the valve between the heart's left upper chamber (left atrium) and the left lower chamber (left ventricle) doesn't close properly. Mitral valve prolapse is often harmless. Most people who have mitral valve prolapse don't require treatment. If leakage is severe, however, the mitral valve may need to be repaired or replaced.

References
  1. Bonow RO, et al. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0398-6..C2009-0-59734-6--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0398-6&about=true&uniqId=236798031-10. Accessed Feb. 28, 2013.
  2. Mitral valve prolapse. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/mvp/. Accessed Feb. 19, 2013.
  3. Gaasch WH. Overview of the management of chronic mitral regurgitation. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Feb. 19, 2013.
AN01949 April 19, 2013

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