Definition

1. Noun:
   • A specific heart valve: The mitral valve is a valve in the heart with two triangular flaps (cusps). It is located between the left atrium (the upper chamber) and the left ventricle (the lower chamber). Its primary function is to ensure blood flows in one direction—from the atrium to the ventricle—and to prevent it from flowing backward.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • A leaky mitral valve can cause a heart murmur.
  • The surgeon repaired the patient's damaged mitral valve.
  • Blood flows from the left atrium through the mitral valve into the left ventricle.

Advanced Usage

• "Mitral valve prolapse": A common condition where one or both of the valve's cusps bulge (prolapse) back into the atrium during contraction. It is often benign but can sometimes cause symptoms.
  • She was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse but requires no treatment.
• "Mitral valve regurgitation": The condition where the mitral valve does not close tightly, allowing blood to leak backward into the left atrium.
  • Severe mitral valve regurgitation may require surgical intervention.

Variants and Related Words

• Bicuspid valve (n): An alternative anatomical name for the mitral valve, referring to its two cusps.
  • The terms "mitral valve" and "bicuspid valve" are synonymous.
• Atrioventricular valve (n): A general category of valves between the heart's atria and ventricles; the mitral valve is the left atrioventricular valve.
  • The mitral and tricuspid valves are both atrioventricular valves.

Synonyms

• Left atrioventricular valve: A precise anatomical synonym.
• Bicuspid valve: A synonym emphasizing the valve's structure.

Related Phrases

• Mitral valve area: A measurement used to assess the severity of mitral stenosis (narrowing).
  • The echocardiogram calculated the mitral valve area.
• Mitral valve annulus: The ring-like fibrous structure that forms the base of the mitral valve.
  • The surgeon placed a ring around the mitral valve annulus for support.

Related Idioms

(Note: As a precise anatomical term, "mitral valve" is not typically used in idiomatic expressions. Its usage is confined to medical and biological contexts.)

Noun

1. valve with two cusps; situated between the left atrium and the left ventricle