Mitral valve prolapse and cerebrovascular accidents in the young.

The incidence of stroke in the young is reported to be high in India. The role of the mitral valve prolapse (MVP) syndrome in these patients is not clear. A prospective study over a period of 1 year was carried out in order to evaluate the role of MVP in cases of stroke occurring in patients below the age of 40 years. Of the 38 cases of stroke in the young seen during this period, well-recognised risk factors of stroke could be detected in 17. MVP confirmed by M-mode echocardiography was seen in 13% of all stroke patients and in 23.8% of those in which there were no other risk factors. The incidence of MVP was much higher if only the clinical criteria for diagnosis were used. We believe that MVP is a significant risk factor in younger stroke patients, and, in such cases, merits investigation. The probable pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic implications are discussed.