Common heart condition linked to sudden death syndrome, new study warns

University of Adelaide researchers have linked a common heart condition thought to be harmless to sudden death syndrome, the Daily Mail reported.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) affects one in every 100 people. The condition is caused when the valves responsible for separating the different chambers of the heart don't close properly. This impacts how the blood flows around the body.

According to the UK's NHS, most cases don't require treatment.

The new study found 12% of people who have suddenly died when their heart stop beating have MVP.

"Mitral valve prolapse is condition in which the leaflets of the valve (mitral valve) that lets blood flow from one chamber to another does not close smoothly or evenly, instead they bulge upward into the left atrium of the heart," lead author Dr Rajiv Mahajan told the Daily Mail.

Adding, "Over the years, there have been several case studies associating mitral valve prolapse with unexplained sudden cardiac death, however, the link had not been confirmed."

They also found 11.7 per cent of people who died of sudden cardiac death (SCD) also suffered MVP.

"With one in five sudden cardiac deaths (SDC) occurring in people with otherwise normal hearts, this research provides insight into the need for further investigation of patients with mitral valve prolapse and high-risk conditions for serious and life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias," co-author Professor Prash Sanders, is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

The study was originally published in the journal Heart.