Diagnosis

Doctors may diagnose mitral valve prolapse at any age. Your doctor is most likely to diagnose mitral valve prolapse while listening to your heart with a stethoscope during a physical examination.

If you have mitral valve prolapse, your doctor may hear a clicking sound, which is common with this condition. Your doctor may also detect a heart murmur, which would be due to blood leaking back into the left atrium.

Tests

Other tests that may be used to evaluate your heart may include:

• Echocardiogram. An echocardiogram is a noninvasive ultrasound evaluation of your heart. It's usually done to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity of your condition.

  This test uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart. It helps doctors see the flow of blood through your mitral valve and measure the amount of blood leakage (regurgitation).

  Your doctor may recommend a transesophageal echocardiogram. In this test, your doctor inserts a flexible tube with a small device (transducer) attached into your throat and down into your esophagus — the tube that connects the back of your mouth to your stomach. From there, the transducer can be positioned to obtain more-detailed images of your heart and mitral valve.

• Chest X-ray. A chest X-ray shows a picture of your heart, lungs and blood vessels and can help your doctor make a diagnosis. It can help show if your heart is enlarged.

• Electrocardiogram (ECG). In this noninvasive test, a technician will place probes on your chest that record the electrical impulses that make your heart beat.

  An ECG records these electrical signals and can help your doctor detect irregularities in your heart's rhythm.

• Stress test. Your doctor may order a stress test to see if mitral valve regurgitation limits your ability to exercise. In a stress test, you exercise or take certain medications to increase your heart rate and make your heart work harder.

  You may also have a stress test if your doctor is trying to determine if you have another condition such as coronary artery disease.

• Coronary angiogram. This test uses X-ray imaging to see your heart's blood vessels. It isn't generally used to diagnose mitral valve prolapse but may reveal the condition when you're being tested for another suspected diagnosis.

  In some cases, your doctor may recommend a coronary angiogram to gather more information about the severity of your condition.