Word parts
tri- threecusp point, flap
What it means
A valve with three flaps (cusps) that opens to let blood flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle and closes when the ventricle squeezes, so blood does not flow backward. Its closing, with the mitral valve's, makes the first heart sound (S1).
At a glance
| Spanish | válvula tricúspide |
|---|---|
| Also written | tricuspid valves |
Related terms
ventricle
One of the two lower chambers of the heart, or one of the fluid-filled spaces inside the brain.
tri-
A word beginning that means three.
heart murmur
A whooshing or swishing sound heard with a stethoscope, made by blood flowing unevenly through the heart.