Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome and Magnesium Supplementation

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the most common valvular heart disease frequently associated with a constellation of symptoms unrelated to structural valvular changes. Patients' self-reports reflect a variety of frightening symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, migraine headaches, lightheadedness, fatigue, dizziness on standing, mood swings, and anxiety or panic attacks. Individuals with these symptoms repeatedly seek help in emergency rooms, urgent care centers, and primary care offices, contributing to the economic burden of health care. Treatment measures are directed toward symptom relief. Although traditional medications such as beta-adrenergic blockers, calcium channel blockers, and anxiolytics are widely used to treat MVP symptoms, these medications are reportedly ineffective for many people. An appreciable number use one or more alternative therapies to control symptoms—most notable among these are magnesium supplements, which are known to influence cardiac function. This article's purpose is to review the literature on what is known about MVP syndrome and magnesium supplementation.