Mitral valve prolapse

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Do panic attacks, chest pain, dizziness, palpitations readily call to mind the diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse? Probably not—and with good reason. According to Dr Snyder, this common, multisystem syndrome often poses a problem both diagnostically and therapeutically to primary care physicians because many of its manifestations are unrelated to the valvular abnormality. Although the syndrome itself warrants conservative management, its potential complications, some of which are life-threatening, should be anticipated and treated aggressively.