The Prevalence of Mitral Valve Prolapse in Healthy Men and Women in Sweden: An Echocardiographic Study

ABSTRACT An asymptomatic population of 100 women and 101 men was studied with M-mode echocardiogram to determine the prevalence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP). One of the two patterns characteristic for MVP was found in 8% of the females and 7% of the males. The diastolic mitral valve excursion was significantly higher in the MVP group (p≤0.001). A typical M-mode pattern in combination with a high mitral valve excursion probably enhances the diagnostic specificity.