Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

What is the recommended prophylaxis treatment for a patient diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse?

1. Endocarditis prophylaxis for most dental and urologic procedures

2. Endocarditis prophylaxis is not necessary

3. Lifetime anticoagulation therapy with warfarin sodium

4. Endocarditis prophylaxis for dental procedures only

The correct answer is: Endocarditis prophylaxis is not necessary

For patients diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse, the current guideline recommends that endocarditis prophylaxis is not necessary for most patients. This decision is based on evidence indicating that while patients with certain heart conditions are at higher risk for infective endocarditis, mitral valve prolapse without significant mitral regurgitation does not significantly increase this risk. The American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines do not recommend routine prophylaxis for dental procedures or other procedures for patients with mitral valve prolapse unless there are additional risk factors or the patient has experienced complications related to their mitral valve condition, such as severe regurgitation. Thus, the focus is on assessing each individual patient's risk before determining the need for prophylactic treatment. This rationale underlines why the approach for patients with mitral valve prolapse is generally to avoid routine prophylaxis, making the correct choice align with contemporary clinical practices.