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Medical Terminology for a Malfunction of the Heart Valves

A problem with heart valves can be serious, since the valves control the body's blood flow direction and speed. There is specific medical terminology for heart valve malfunctions.

  1. Heart Valve Malfunctions

    • The valves of the heart can malfunction in two ways: regurgitation (blood flows backwards because the valve doesn't close completely), or stenosis (blood flow is inhibited because the valve is narrowed or damaged).

    Effects

    • The heart must pump harder to send blood through a stenotic valve, which is a valve that is narrowed or stiff from scarring.

    Considerations

    • A heart valve can suffer from regurgitation and stenosis at the same time. Also, more than one heart valve can be malfunctioning simultaneously.

    Diseases

    • The valves most affected by heart valve disease are the mitral and aortic valves. The most common diseases are bicuspid aortic valve, Ebstein's anomaly, tricuspid atresia, mitral valve prolapse, mitral valve stenosis, aortic valve stenosis and pulmonary stenosis.

    Definition of Diseases

    • Ebstein's anomaly means the tricuspid valve is located lower than it should be in the heart. With tricuspid atresia, the tricuspid valve is missing, meaning no blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle. Blood flows backward for people with bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse because of faulty valve flaps. Mitral valve, aortic valve and pulmunary valve stenosis means these valves are narrowed or damaged.

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