Effect of imipramine on prolapsed mitral valves of patients with panic disorder

The finding that imipramine blocks panic attacks without 'curing' prolapse strengthens the view that there is no simple, mechanical relationship between panic disorder and mitral valve prolapse. It is more likely that imipramine is either correcting a central autonomic abnormality common to both panic disorder and mitral valve prolapse or it is alleviating a propensity to panic that is triggered by mitral valve prolapse.