Electrophysiological Substrate in Patients with Barlow's Disease

Abstract

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the most common valvular heart disease, affecting 2-3% of the general population. Barlow's disease is a clinical syndrome characterised by MVP. Initially thought a benign condition, MVP is now recognised as a cause of sudden cardiac death and ventricular arrhythmias. The development of new imaging techniques has contributed recently to the identification of novel risk factors. Catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias in patients affected by MVP is traditionally considered challenging. In this review, the authors summarise the evidence on arrhythmogenesis in the context of MVP, along with risk stratification of sudden cardiac death and the available treatment options, including new catheter ablation techniques.

Keywords: Ventricular arrhythmias; mitral prolapse; mitral valve disease; premature ventricular beats; sudden cardiac death; ventricular tachycardia.