During the 1980s a lot of interest was stirred up because it was found that there was a high incidence of mitral valve prolapse among people suffering with anxiety attack symptoms and panic disorder. The mitral valve is a heart valve which should close once blood has been pumped through. In mitral valve prolapse the valve is sucked back on itself, like an umbrella being blown inside out.
Through the stethoscope it is heard as a click-murmur and although it may sound as chough it should be problematic, it isn’t.
Despite the amount of research, no one has been able to explain the link between this and panic attack symptoms. Whether high levels of anxiety attacks cause the prolapse, or whether the prolapse causes panic attacks through misinterpretation of the heart murmur is not yet understood. The important thing for you to realize is that mitral valve prolapse, it has been discovered, is as common in the rest of the population as it is among people who experience panic attacks and it is a benign condition - it can’t do you any harm.
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May 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 pm
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May 3rd, 2009 at 3:15 am
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