Haemodynamics
There are two major haemodynamic disorders in patients with mitral stenosis:
- raised left atrial pressure:
- is not significant until the valve area is less than 25% of normal (1.0 - 1.5 cm sq.)
- causes an increase in left atrial pressure and a diastolic gradient across the mitral valve
- as the pulmonary venous pressure increases, exudation of fluid causes pulmonary oedema with a corresponding rise in pulmonary arterial pressure
- pulmonary hypertension:
- is the result of the long-term increase in left atrial pressure which causes a rise in pulmonary vascular resistance
- is accompanied by intimal and medial thickening of the pulmonary vasculature
- is prominent if the left atrium is small and indistensible
Cardiac output diminishes, especially when dilatation of the right ventricle and tricuspid ring causes tricuspid regurgitation.
Create an account to add page annotations
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.