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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Mitral valve stenosis — or mitral stenosis — is a condition in which the heart's mitral valve is narrowed (stenotic). This abnormal valve doesn't open properly, blocking blood flow coming into your left ventricle, the main pumping chamber of your heart. Mitral valve stenosis can make you tired and short of breath, among other problems.

The main cause of mitral valve stenosis is an infection called rheumatic fever, which is related to strep infections. Rheumatic fever — now rare in the United States, but still common in developing countries — can scar the mitral valve. Left untreated, mitral valve stenosis can lead to serious heart complications.

Symptoms
References
  1. Heart valve disease. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hvd/hvd_all.html. Accessed May 19, 2011.
  2. Heart valves. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4598. Accessed May 23, 2011.
  3. Otto CM, et al. Valvular heart disease. In: Bonow RO, et al. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0398-6..C2009-0-59734-6&isbn=978-1-4377-0398-6&uniqId=247741773-3#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0398-6..C2009-0-59734-6--TOP. Accessed May 19, 2011.
  4. Ferri FF. Mitral stenosis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1161209007&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00022-6--s29555&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&uniqId=247741773-5. Accessed May 19, 2011.
  5. Sorrentino MJ. Medical management and indications for intervention in mitral stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 23, 2011.
  6. Sorrentino MJ. Surgical management of mitral stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 23, 2011.
  7. Nishimura RA. ACC/AHA guideline update on valvular heart disease: Focused update on infective endocarditis. Circulation. 2008;118:887.
  8. Schmitto JD, et al. Minimally invasive valve surgery. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2010;56:455.
  9. Lehr EJ, et al. Robotic cardiac surgery. Current Opinion in Anesthesiology. 2011;24:77.
DS00420 Sept. 15, 2011

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