In MVP, you would expect the ejection click to be more accentuated and the murmur to move closer the first hea sound in a patient
**Core Concept**
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a condition characterized by the abnormal bulging of the mitral valve leaflets into the left atrium during systole. The characteristic auscultatory findings include a midsystolic click and a late systolic murmur. The click is often accentuated by maneuvers that increase left ventricular volume or contractility.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Marked anxiety increases sympathetic tone, leading to increased heart rate and contractility. This, in turn, increases the volume of blood ejected by the left ventricle, which stretches the mitral valve leaflets and accentuates the prolapse. As a result, the ejection click is more pronounced, and the murmur moves closer to the first heart sound (S1) due to the increased left ventricular volume and the earlier closure of the mitral valve. The increased contractility also enhances the force of the murmur, making it more audible.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option B:** Pregnancy is not typically associated with an accentuated ejection click in MVP. The changes in cardiac function and hemodynamics during pregnancy are more pronounced in the early stages of labor, rather than in the general pregnant state.
**Option C:** Passive leg lifting in the supine position would not typically accentuate the ejection click in MVP. This maneuver increases venous return to the heart, which may actually decrease the prolapse of the mitral valve leaflets.
**Option D:** Beta blockers decrease contractility and heart rate, which would actually decrease the accentuation of the ejection click in MVP. Beta blockers are often used to manage symptoms in patients with MVP.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
In patients with MVP, maneuvers that increase left ventricular volume or contractility (such as marked anxiety or exercise) can accentuate the ejection click and move the murmur closer to the first heart sound. This is an important clinical correlation to recognize, as it can help differentiate MVP from other conditions that may present with similar auscultatory findings.
**β Correct Answer: A. With marked anxiety**