[Sudden death in mitral valve prolapse. Apropos of 2 cases]

Two cases of sudden death are reported in patients with mitral valve prolapse with mitral insufficiency. Both had significant impairment of left ventricular function. Irreversible ventricular fibrillation occurred in one patient one-half hour preceding a catheterization, whereas the other patient died during sleep. Review of the literature revealed 42 cases of sudden death in patients with prolapse. Occasionally left ventricular dysfunction or medication overdosage can explain or favor development of the terminal arrhythmia, but usually no precipitating factor other than prolapse can be identified. It appears impossible to identify actual subgroups at risk, although sudden death does occur more frequently in patients with a large amount of prolapse of both valves, previous syncopal episodes, and ECG abnormalities at rest. Complex ventricular arrhythmias are also reported, but their predictive importance is difficult to evaluate. Sudden death is a rare complication of mitral prolapse, fact which should conservatively influence indications for further supplementary testing and treatment in these patients.