Impact of echocardiography on the management of patients with mitral valve prolapse.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether echocardiography affects the decisions to use beta blockers or to recommend bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis in patients suspected of having mitral valve prolapse (MVP).

DESIGN

Retrospective review of echocardiograms and clinical records.

SETTING

Military tertiary care hospital.

PATIENTS

127 patients with clinically suspected MVP (105) or incidentally discovered MVP (22).

MAIN RESULTS

Beta blockers were used more often in patients with suspected MVP and positive echocardiograms (45%) than in patients with normal echocardiograms (13%, p less than 0.001). Bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis was recommended more often in patients with suspected MVP and positive echocardiograms (65%) than in patients with normal echocardiograms (11%, p less than 0.001). Presence or absence of a murmur did not influence the decision to recommend bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis. Patients in whom MVP was incidentally discovered were unlikely to receive either beta blockers or the recommendation for bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of echocardiography affect the decisions to use beta blockers or to recommend bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis in patients with suspected MVP.