Johanna Shapiro, PhD
Anxiety disorders are frequently encountered in the family physician’s office. However, despite efforts to include mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS) in the differential diagnosis of these disorders, few medical reviews of MVPS mention that the syndrome often presents with symptoms suggesting anxiety neurosis. Similarly, the third edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) does not include MVPS as part of the diagnostic differential for panic or anxiety disorders.