Heightening awareness in the detection and management of arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is present in 2-3% of the general population. A small percentage of these patients develop sudden cardiac death. Although there have been several clinical, EKG, and imaging findings associated with sudden death in MVP patients, it is not yet known which of the risk factors should be weighed more heavily than other. More importantly, there is no consensus on which patients might benefit from a primary prevention defibrillator. We present a case of a young woman who sustained sudden cardiac arrest, and began recovering after a prolonged resuscitative effort. She ultimately succumbed to opportunistic infection. In hindsight, she had many of the concerning findings of arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse. Raising awareness of this condition can help to reduce risk of sudden death in these patients.