Mitral Valve Prolapse in Patients with Panic Attacks in Korea

Since DaCosta described in 1871 the syndrome bearing his name, clinicians have diagnosed an admix- ture of cardiac symptoms and panic symptoms under such terms as irritable heart, soldier's heart, effort syn- drome or neurocirculatory asthenia (Wooley 1976). The discovery of two new diagnostic entities of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and panic disorder has the potential to clarify the diagnosis. MVP is a generally benign cardiac abnormality ocurring in 5 to 10% of the general population in Western countries (Markiewicz et al. 1976; Darsee eí al. 1979). It has an autosomal dominant genetic transmission and is prevalent in women (Devereux ef al. 1982). Although most people with MVP are asymp- tomatic, symptomatic patients may experience tachycardia, arrhythmia, palpitations, syncope, fatigue, dyspnea or atypical chest pain similar to the anxeity state (Davereux et al. 1976; Boudoulas ef al. 1984).