Mitral valve Mitral valve The mitral valve (), also known as the bicuspid valve or left atrioventricular valve, is a valve with two flaps in the heart, that lies between the left atrium and the left ventricle. The mitral valve and the tricuspid valve are known collectively as the atrioventricular valves because they lie between the atria and the ventricles of the heart. In normal conditions, blood flows through an open mitral valve during diastole with contraction of the left atrium, and the mitral valve closes during systole with contraction of the left ventricle. The valve opens and closes because of pressure
Mitral valve prolapse valve. The prevalence of MVP is estimated at 2–3% of the population. The condition was first described by John Brereton Barlow in 1966. In consequence, it may also be referred to as Barlow's syndrome, and was subsequently termed "mitral valve prolapse" by J. Michael Criley. Upon auscultation of an individual with mitral valve prolapse, a mid-systolic click, followed by a late systolic murmur heard best at the apex is common. The length of the murmur signifies the time period over which blood is leaking back into the left atrium, known as regurgitation. A murmur that lasts throughout the whole of