If a patient's history indicates that the cardiac valve disease is autosomal dominant, which diagnosis will the nurse observe written in the chart?

• A. Aortic stenosis
• B. Pulmonary stenosis
• C. Mitral valve prolapse
• D. Tricuspid regurgitation

Answer: (C)

Autosomal dominant inheritance means one mutated gene copy can cause the condition and often runs in families with both sexes affected equally. Mitral valve prolapse is the valvular disease most commonly linked to this inheritance pattern, and it is frequently seen in families with Marfan syndrome, which is itself autosomal dominant. Because of this strong genetic association, a history saying the valve disease is autosomal dominant would most likely be documented as mitral valve prolapse.

The other options don’t fit the typical autosomal dominant pattern as cleanly. Aortic stenosis can be degenerative or due to a congenitally bicuspid valve, but it’s not classically described as autosomal dominant. Pulmonary stenosis and tricuspid regurgitation usually arise from other etiologies or inheritance patterns, not the common autosomal dominant familial pattern linked with MVP.