Running with MVP (Mitral Valve Prolapse)
EricTheRed
Valve Prolapse)? I've been recently diagnosed with a mild case of
MVP, but had been running for awhile already. I was wondering some of
the things I could expect with MVP and running.
I've read a few books on the subject, and it seems to be unanimous
that running (as opposed to the more strenuous track-and-field-type
running/sprinting) is o.k.
I've also read symptoms like "lack of endurance, shortness of breath",
which seem to be DIRECTLY related to running.
Does anybody have any input?
Thanks in advance,
Eric Stump
MOBE
I am a life long runner, and was also just diagnosed with minor MVP (I
suspect I may have had it for years). I had been running about 25 miles a
week, but recently tapered off (knee pain) - some of my better runs since
then . Based on what I've read exercise is considered a good thing for MVP.
I'm still researching the topic, but apparently there is something called
MVP syndrome which may actually cause the symptoms you may have, and can be
treated (supplements,cutting out caffeine, etc). Best bet is to ask your
doctor - most likely he'll advise no change in your running. I have no MVP
symptoms while running - if I hadn't been diagnosed I may have never even
noticed. I plan to build back up to 30 miles/week w/ some racing this fall.
I'd be curious how MVP has affected any other runners out there.
Later,
Rob
EricTheRed <purple...@hotmail.com> wrote in article
<37586507...@news.interactive.net>...
Jennifer Schmidt
symptoms of racing heartbeat, lightheadedness, etc. I take a low-dose beta
blocker to control the heartbeat. I kept on running although I do watch
carefully for any exacerbation of my symptoms. However the excercise
actually seems to make me feel better and have fewer symptoms. I have less
trouble with racing hearbeat when I'm running; I had to take a few months
off last year for an ITB injury and noticed my MVP symptoms got a little
bit more prevalent. So take it easy at first but keep running.
Jennifer
Fred Thomas
On Fri, 4 Jun 1999, EricTheRed wrote:
> Does anybody out there have any comments on running with MVP (Mitral
> Valve Prolapse)? I've been recently diagnosed with a mild case of
> MVP, but had been running for awhile already. I was wondering some of
> the things I could expect with MVP and running.
>
> I've read a few books on the subject, and it seems to be unanimous
> that running (as opposed to the more strenuous track-and-field-type
> running/sprinting) is o.k.
>
> I've also read symptoms like "lack of endurance, shortness of breath",
> which seem to be DIRECTLY related to running.
>
> Does anybody have any input?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Eric Stump
It would be a good idea to start taking coenzyme Q10. Here are a few
abstracts that show how kick-ass it is.
Authors
Oda T.
Institution
Department of Pediatrics, Fukuoka University, Japan.
Title
Recovery of load-induced left ventricular diastolic dysfunction by coenzyme
Q10: echocardiographic study.
Source
Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 15 Suppl:s149-54, 1994.
Abstract
Load-induced cardiac dysfunction (LCD), in which a supernormal left
ventricular (LV) systolic performance at rest decreases due to an afterload
challenge, usually occurs among children with mitral
valve prolapse (MVP). However, diastolic
performance is also important because relaxation, like contraction, is based
on a process that requires energy. The aim of this study was to examine LV
diastolic response patterns to stress in patients with LCD before and after
coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) therapy and in controls. The D-E slope, E-F slope and
maximal diastolic endocardial velocity were used as echographic diastolic
indices. Thirty subjects, aged 9-16 years, were divided into four groups:
group 1, 10 normals; group 2, 10 patients with LCD; group 3, the same 10 as
in group 2, who recovered with CoQ, 3.0-3.4 mg/kg/day for 7 days; group 4, 10
asymptomatic children with MVP. The heart rate, both at rest and during
handgrip (HG), showed little intergroup difference. Only in group 2, were the
ejection fraction and all the diastolic indices greater than in the other
groups, but these became subnormal with HG. In the other groups, these
indices increased with HG to a similar extent, although resting values were
smaller than in group 2. In conclusion: (1) in normal hearts and in hearts
with LCD, diastolic performance mimicked systolic performance both in resting
and loading conditions; (2) CoQ improved not only the load-induced systolic
but also the diastolic dysfunctions in a similar time-course, and (3)
mechanical stiffness of the cardiac tissue may not be a cause of load-induced
diastolic dysfunction, because the dysfunction was quickly resolved with CoQ
therapy. CoQ may be a key substance which affects a common bioenergetic
process in contraction and relaxation, to keep these functions normal.
Authors
Langsjoen H. Langsjoen P. Langsjoen P. Willis R. Folkers K.
Institution
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77551, USA.
Title
Usefulness of coenzyme Q10 in clinical cardiology: a long-term study.
Source
Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 15 Suppl:s165-75, 1994.
Abstract
Over an eight year period (1985-1993), we treated 424 patients with various
forms of cardiovascular disease by adding coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to their
medical regimens. Doses of CoQ10 ranged from 75 to 600 mg/day by mouth
(average 242 mg). Treatment was primarily guided by the patient's clinical
response. In many instances, CoQ10 levels were employed with the aim of
producing a whole blood level greater than or equal to 2.10 micrograms/ml
(average 2.92 micrograms/ml, n = 297). Patients were followed for an average
of 17.8 months, with a total accumulation of 632 patient years. Eleven
patients were omitted from this study: 10 due to non-compliance and one who
experienced nausea. Eighteen deaths occurred during the study period with 10
attributable to cardiac causes. Patients were divided into six diagnostic
categories: ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM),
primary diastolic dysfunction (PDD), hypertension (HTN),
mitral valve prolapse
(MVP) and valvular heart disease (VHD). For the entire group and for each
diagnostic category, we evaluated clinical response according to the New York
Heart Association (NYHA) functional scale, and found significant improvement.
Of 424 patients, 58 per cent improved by one NYHA class, 28% by two classes
and 1.2% by three classes. A statistically significant improvement in
myocardial function was documented using the following echocardiographic
parameters: left ventricular wall thickness, mitral
valve inflow slope and fractional shortening. Before
treatment with CoQ10, most patients were taking from one to five cardiac
medications. During this study, overall medication requirements dropped
considerably: 43% stopped between one and three drugs. Only 6% of the
patients required the addition of one drug. No apparent side effects from
CoQ10 treatment were noted other than a single case of transient nausea. In
conclusion, CoQ10 is a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for a broad
range of cardiovascular diseases, producing gratifying clinical responses
while easing the medical and financial burden of multidrug therapy.
Authors
Langsjoen PH. Langsjoen PH. Folkers K.
Title
Isolated diastolic dysfunction of the myocardium and its response to CoQ10
treatment.
Source
Clinical Investigator. 71(8 Suppl):S140-4, 1993.
Abstract
Symptoms of fatigue and activity impairment, atypical precordial pain, and
cardiac arrhythmia frequently precede by years the development of congestive
heart failure. Of 115 patients with these symptoms, 60 were diagnosed as
having hypertensive cardiovascular disease, 27 mitral
valve prolapse syndrome, and 28 chronic
fatigue syndrome. These symptoms are common with diastolic dysfunction, and
diastolic function is energy dependent. All patients had blood pressure,
clinical status, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) blood levels and echocardiographic
measurement of diastolic function, systolic function, and myocardial
thickness recorded before and after CoQ10 replacement. At control, 63
patients were functional class III and 54 class II; all showed diastolic
dysfunction; the mean CoQ10 blood level was 0.855 micrograms/ml; 65%, 15%,
and 7% showed significant myocardial hypertrophy, and 87%, 30%, and 11% had
elevated blood pressure readings in hypertensive disease,
mitral valve prolapse and
chronic fatigue syndrome respectively. Except for higher blood pressure
levels and more myocardial thickening in the hypertensive patients, there was
little difference between the three groups. CoQ10 administration resulted in
improvement in all; reduction in high blood pressure in 80%, and improvement
in diastolic function in all patients with follow-up echocardiograms to date;
a reduction in myocardial thickness in 53% of hypertensives and 36% of the
combined prolapse and fatigue syndrome groups; and a reduced
fractional shortening in those high at control and an increase in those
initially low.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)