Mitral stenosis is a blockage or narrowing of the opening of the mitral valve in your heart. This causes the top part of the left side of the heart to work harder to push the blood through the narrowed valve. Mitral stenosis is almost always due to scarring of the valve from rheumatic fever. The disease is four times more common in women than in men.
Symptoms appear gradually, sometimes over years.
Symptoms usually begin when a stimulus forces the heart to pump blood more quickly. The doctor will review your symptoms and examine you. During the exam, your doctor will listen to the sound your heart makes through an instrument called a stethoscope. Rays are passed through your body to produce a picture of your bones, lungs, and heart. The picture resembles a photo negative.