Myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve causes which condition?

• A. Aortic Stenosis
• B. Mitral Regurgitation
• C. Tricuspid Regurgitation
• D. Mitral Valve Prolapse

Answer: (D)

Myxomatous degeneration weakens the connective tissue of the mitral valve, making the leaflets and chordae tendineae gelatinous and overly pliable. This creates a floppy valve that doesn’t close properly in systole, causing the leaflets to billow backward into the left atrium. That billowing is the hallmark known as mitral valve prolapse. While this prolapse can be associated with mitral regurgitation if coaptation isn’t complete, the defining outcome of the degeneration is the prolapse itself. Aortic stenosis and tricuspid regurgitation are not directly produced by this process.