Gender differences in dehydration-induced mitral valve prolapse.

Full Abstract

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common cardiac valve abnormality that affects women more frequently than men. We have previously shown that mild dehydration induces echocardiographic signs of MVP in approximately 50% of healthy asthenic women with previously normal cardiac findings. The present study was designed to investigate whether dehydration can induce MVP in normal men. Ten healthy male volunteers with a mean body mass index of 24.2 kg/m2, unremarkable history, and normal cardiac findings and echocardiogram were examined after mild diuresis with 20 mg furosemide. Significant decrease in weight, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, and cardiac output were detected in all subjects after furosemide administration. In 1 (10%) of the 10 subjects echocardiographic MVP developed after furosemide administration. All furosemide-induced changes resolved with hydration. These results demonstrate that dehydration-induced MVP in men without characteristic body habitus of MVP occurs with substantially lower frequency than previously documented in women with the characteristic body habitus of MVP. This study suggests the importance of gender and body habitus in dehydration-induced MVP.

Author information

Author/s: Aufderheide, S (S); Lax, D (D); Goldberg, S J (SJ);

Affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: American heart journal (Am Heart J), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1995-Jan; vol 129 (issue 1) : pp 83-6

Dates: Created 1995/02/09; Completed 1995/02/09; Revised 2006/02/27;

PMID: 7817930, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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