Sudden death in mitral valve prolapse: associated accessory atrioventricular pathways.
Sudden death in patients with mitral valve prolapse is a rare complication with a possible arrhythmic mechanism. We made a detailed postmortem examination of the conduction system in three patients with MVP who died suddenly. One patient who died in cardiac failure had a normal conduction system. The two other patients with no cardiac symptoms prior to death had both accessory atrioventricular pathways. These findings suggest a higher incidence than hitherto known of accessory bypass tracts in patients with MVP who die suddenly, and support the presumption of an arrhythmic cause of death.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000473:pathology; D001344:Autopsy; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000150:complications