The preliminary autopsy report says the wife of GOP U.S. Congressman Andy Barr died suddenly Tuesday night due to a heart condition.
The Fayette County Coroner’s office said Carol Barr, 39, died at 6:55 Tuesday night at the family’s Lexington home because of a mitral valve prolapse, sometimes referred to as floppy valve syndrome.
“At this time of tremendous grief and pain, we ask for prayers for our beautiful, dear and precious Carol, the greatest, most selfless and giving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend anyone could ever have,” Barr said in a statement.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “A mitral valve prolapse occurs when the flaps (leaflets) of the heart’s mitral valve bulge (prolapse) like a parachute into the heart’s left upper chamber (left atrium) as the heart contracts. Mitral valve prolapse sometimes leads to blood leaking backward into the left atrium, a condition called mitral valve regurgitation.”
The condition doesn’t generally cause serious problems, but rarely blood may leak the wrong way through the floppy valve. This can lead to heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, and other symptoms.
Carol Barr attended the University of Kentucky and married Andy Barr in 2008. The couple has two daughters. She had worked for Pfizer, and as the executive director of Lexington’s Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship.
Andy Barr represents Kentucky’s sixth district, which includes Lexington, Richmond and Frankfort.
(Photo of Andy and Carol Barr courtesy of WKYT.com)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
