What is the term for an acquired heart defect where the valve opening narrows, restricting blood flow?

The term for an acquired heart defect characterized by the narrowing of a valve opening, which restricts blood flow, is stenosis. In this condition, the valve does not open fully, leading to decreased blood flow through the heart and requiring the heart to work harder to pump blood. This can lead to various symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart murmur.

Regurgitation refers to the backward flow of blood through a valve that does not close properly, leading to inefficiency in blood circulation but is distinct from stenosis. Prolapse involves the bending or bulging of valve flaps backward, which can cause regurgitation but is separate from the narrowing described in stenosis. Insufficiency generally suggests a lack of adequate function in a valve, but it encompasses various issues of valve failure rather than specifically indicating a narrowing of the opening. Therefore, stenosis is the correct terminology to describe this particular acquired heart defect.