Mitral valve prolapse, panic disorder, and chest pain.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Psychiatry
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common inherited cardiac disorder.
• Panic disorder is a prevalent anxiety disorder with similar demographics to MVP.
• Both conditions share nonspecific symptoms, notably chest pain, leading to frequent medical consultations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on the co-occurrence of mitral valve prolapse and panic disorder.
• To highlight the shared symptomatology and clinical implications of these two common conditions.
• To emphasize the importance of considering panic disorder in patients with MVP and unexplained symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating mitral valve prolapse and panic disorder.
• Analysis of shared symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and potential pathophysiological links.
• Evaluation of the clinical significance of their frequent co-occurrence.

Main Results:

• Mitral valve prolapse and panic disorder frequently co-occur, with similar prevalence and symptom profiles.
• Chest pain is a common presenting symptom in both disorders, though its etiology remains unclear.
• No definitive cause-effect relationship or unifying mechanism has been identified between MVP and panic disorder.

Conclusions:

• The high rate of co-occurrence between mitral valve prolapse and panic disorder is clinically significant.
• Panic disorder should be considered in patients with mitral valve prolapse presenting with unexplained symptoms unresponsive to standard treatment.
• Further research into biologic markers may elucidate the relationship between these conditions.