Does Mitral Valve Prolapse Cause Sudden Death?
Obviously, I have no way of knowing the actual cause of this unfortunate runner's death, and I will not speculate on it. However, while it took local race officials off the hook, the Chicago medical examiner's confident pronouncement also may have created at least some degree of panic among up to 75 million Americans (by some estimates) who might also have MVP.
So, the question bears asking: Does MVP really cause sudden death?
The answer is that nobody really knows, but if it does, the excess risk posed by typical MVP is exceedingly small.
Evidence that MVP may be associated with sudden death comes mainly from autopsy series. When the heart is carefully examined in people who have died suddenly, something like 10% of them will turn out to have MVP. What is not mentioned in these studies is that when you carefully look for MVP in living people (using echocardiography), then depending on the diagnostic criteria used, at least 2% and up to 35% of the general population will receive the diagnosis of MVP.
The bottom line is that it is not at all clear that MVP - at least, the mild form of MVP that the vast majority of people diagnosed with this condition have - is even associated with sudden death, let alone a cause of sudden death. A small number of patients with MVP will eventually develop significant mitral regurgitation (valve leakage), which in turn can produce heart muscle weakness - and these patients clearly do have an increased risk of life threatening arrhythmias, as do any patients with cardiac muscle disease. It is not clear from news reports whether the Chicago marathoner may have had this severe form of MVP.
But the vast majority of patients with MVP have never been shown to have any higher risk of sudden death than the general population, and the recent tragedy in Chicago should not cause undue concern. Read more about MVP here.
Comments
Thank you for this post. I’m a “marathoner”, 36 year old man, three kids of my own, a patient with MVP and was running this very same race.
Reading the immediate reports, I was skeptical that the heat could be discounted so quickly.
While I’m familiar with the flip-flops of having MVP, I’ve never heard of it causing sudden death and can’t believe that the heat wasn’t a contributing factor.
Anyway, as a “sufferer” of MVP, it’s re-assuring to hear that this case shouldn’t be cause for significant/mass concern.
My girlfriend is a cardiologist in Chicago, and called me rather upset after the medical examiner’s report.
She is in complete agreement with you, and feels it is irresponsible for the media to report that the runner’s death was caused by his heart, and the heat had nothing to do with it. Interestingly a couple of news organizations do appear to have been more cautious in their reporting.
Well, I am concerned. I am a 38 yo mom of 1. My heart is out of wack. I can feel it racing, skipping etc. In 97, i wore a heart holster, and had an echiocardiogram and was diagnosed with mvp and irregular heartbeat. I wasn’t told the severity of regurgatation etc. but, I am now very concerned, as, my heart does not beat normally. I always thought it was due to panic nerves, but, now I know different. I wish doctors would take this disease more seriously. It really makes me sick. They can treat alcholism in which the person chooses to drink, but, they can’t treat mvp, in which the person has no choice.
The MVP as COD (I watch CSI too much)did not sound right even to a retired pulmonary doc and I put my 2 cents worth in about it on my blog with a plea to measure the serum sodium in collapsed runners to Dx hyponatremia which if handled less than well may be fatal.
20 years ago my 32 year old wife died suddenly in our kitchen. According to the autopsy it was due to mitral valve prolapse. She had been previoulsy diagnosed with MVP. I was left alone with three young children. I sill miss her today and wish that the doctors had taken her MVP more seriously
My sister died two months ago. Aged 29. She left three boys behind, 8, 5, and a not quite 4 week old infant. The coroner’s report came back listing the cause of death as MVP. She went to sleep and didn’t wake up. Right or wrong, be aware, it can happen….
My fiance was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse March 17, 2008. We were told by his cardiologist that he was at no risk of sudden cardiac death, but Mark died April 19, 2008 from a sudden cardiac death. His coroner stated Mark’s death was directly related to the prolapsed mitral valve.
My mother was diagnosed with MVP with leakage and was scheduled for open heart surgery to correct the problem. She was told to maintain her current activities (which she did)as people do not die from this condition. She went for her pre-op physical, 10 days prior to her surgery, was told she is fine and ready for surgery. She collapsed and died suddenly that same evening. I can’t help but think it was due to the MVP.
My 17 year old brother collapsed and died instantly at his highschool 3 months ago due to Mitral Valve Prolapse. He had never been diagnosed with this condition, we had no idea until he died instantly.
wow i always knew mvp was a heart problem to be aware of being that i do have it and a irregular heart beat and play all types of sports since i am only 20. i also work in construction. Aside from the doctor telling me to take it ez i can only help but think if i am going to die then i might as well enjoy my life. Heart problems run in my family. my grandfather died of a heart attack before i was born and my other died receintly with every type of cancer you can think of.