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Doctors usually detect mitral valve prolapse when they hear a heart murmur or abnormal heart sounds during a physical exam. To diagnose this condition your doctor may order the following tests and procedures: echocardiography with Doppler ultrasound, chest x ray, and electrocardiogram (EKG).

Most people who have mitral valve prolapse don’t have any symptoms of the condition. When mitral valve prolapse does cause signs and symptoms, they can include: palpitations, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, dizziness, anxiety, migraine headaches, and chest discomfort. Complications of mitral valve prolapse include arrhythmias and infection of the mitral valve.

Mitral valve prolapse can occur in anyone. However, aging and certain diseases—such as rheumatic fever, connective tissue disorders, Graves’ disease, scoliosis, and some types of muscular dystrophy—can increase the risk of developing the condition.

The exact cause of mitral valve prolapse is not known; however, most people are born with the condition. Mitral valve prolapse tends to run in families and is more common in people who are born with connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome.

Mitral valve prolapse is a condition in which the flaps of the mitral valve are floppy, or prolapsed, which can prevent the seal from forming, which results in a backflow of blood in the left atrium as blood is pumped through the heart.

Lifestyle changes can help you control your risk factors for metabolic syndrome and reduce your risk for coronary heart disease and diabetes. If you already have heart disease or diabetes, lifestyle changes can help you prevent or delay complications. Seek regular medical care if you are living with metabolic syndrome.

Making heart-healthy lifestyle choices is the best way to prevent metabolic syndrome by being physically active, following a heart-healthy eating plan, knowing your weight, waist measurement, and BMI, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Your doctor will diagnose metabolic syndrome based on the results of a physical exam and blood tests. You must have at least three of the five metabolic risk factors—a large waistline, a high triglyceride level, a low HDL cholesterol level, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood sugar—to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

Most of the metabolic risk factors have no signs or symptoms, although a large waistline is a visible sign. Some people may have symptoms of high blood sugar if diabetes is present.

People at greatest risk for metabolic syndrome have high abdominal obesity, an inactive lifestyle, and insulin resistance. Some racial and ethnic groups in the United States are at higher risk for metabolic syndrome than others.