Anxiety and mitral valve prolapse syndrome.

The diagnosis of Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome (MVPS), even though symptomatically similar to anxiety neurosis, may prompt pharmacological treatment only, neglecting any underlying emotional problems. If only a dichotomy were considered, one diagnosis might be seen as mutually exclusive of the other. A case history is presented illustrating features of both clinical syndromes. We consider the interaction of both etiologies, as well as the possibility of both being unrelated and coincidental. As physiological factors are explored when the diagnosis of anxiety neurosis is considered, so should psychological factors be examined with MVPS.