US Medical Term · anatomy
Aortic Valve
Válvula aórtica
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Aortic Valve |
| Spanish (Español) | Válvula aórtica |
| Chinese (中文) | 主動脈瓣 |
| Korean (한국어) | 대동맥판 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Van động mạch chủ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Aortic na balbula |
| Portuguese (Português) | Válvula aórtica |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ลิ้นหัวใจเอออร์ติก |
| Japanese (日本語) | 大動脈弁 |
What it means
The aortic valve is a one-way gate between the heart's left ventricle — the main pumping chamber — and the aorta, the largest artery in the body. It has three leaflets, or cusps, that open with each heartbeat to let oxygen-rich blood rush into the aorta and snap shut to stop blood from flowing back into the heart. When the valve stiffens and narrows with age — a condition called aortic stenosis — the heart has to work much harder to push blood through, causing fatigue and chest pain. When it does not close tightly and blood leaks back — aortic regurgitation — the heart can become overworked. Both problems can be treated with valve replacement surgery or a catheter-based procedure called TAVR.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My cardiologist said my aortic valve is severely narrowed and I need it replaced.
Mi cardiólogo dijo que mi válvula aórtica está muy estrecha y necesito reemplazarla.
I have been getting dizzy and short of breath — could that be from my aortic valve problem?
Me he estado mareando y me falta el aliento. ¿Podría ser por el problema de la válvula aórtica?
They told me I can have the TAVR procedure done through a catheter without open-heart surgery.
Me dijeron que puedo hacerme el procedimiento TAVR mediante catéter sin necesidad de cirugía a corazón abierto.
Where you'll see it
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Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026