![]() |
Mitral stenosis is a heart valve disorder that involves a narrowing or blockage of the opening of the mitral valve, which separates the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart.
|
|
|
Valve disease occurs when a valve doesn’t open or close the way it should. If a valve doesn’t open all the way, the heart has to push blood through a smaller opening. If the valve doesn’t close tightly, some blood will leak backward.
|
|
|
Mitral stenosis means the mitral valve stiffens and doesn’t open right. Blood must move through a smaller opening. In severe cases, fluid can build up in the lungs, leading to coughing and breathing problems.
|
|
The term stenosis means an abnormal narrowing of an opening. Mitral valve stenosis refers to a condition in the heart in which one of the valve openings has become narrow and restricts the flow of blood from the upper left chamber (left atrium) to the lower left chamber (left ventricle).
|