ARDMS Adult Echo Practice Exam 2026 – Comprehensive Test Prep

The tricuspid valve closes after the mitral valve as part of the normal sequence of cardiac functioning during the cardiac cycle. During diastole, the heart chambers fill with blood; the mitral valve opens to allow blood from the left atrium to flow into the left ventricle. When the left ventricle contracts (systole), the mitral valve closes to prevent backflow into the left atrium, and shortly thereafter, the tricuspid valve closes to prevent backflow into the right atrium as the right ventricle contracts.

Understanding the sequence of valve closures is crucial for interpreting heart sounds and understanding cardiac mechanics. The closure of the tricuspid valve occurs after the closure of the mitral valve because the contraction of the left ventricle and the subsequent ejection of blood through the aortic and pulmonary valves occurs later in the cycle.

The other valves mentioned, such as the pulmonary and aortic valves, actually open and close in coordination with the contractions and relaxations of the respective ventricles, but they do not close after the mitral valve in the sequence relevant to this question. The term "coronary valve" does not refer to a specific anatomical structure recognized in standard cardiac anatomy.