Gorlin Valve-Area Equation

Gorlin valve-area equation for aortic or mitral stenosis: flow ÷ (constant × √mean gradient), using the systolic ejection period (aortic) or diastolic filling period (mitral).

Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.

Example

Valve
Aortic (systolic ejection period, K = 44.3)
Cardiac output
5 L/min
Heart rate
70 bpm
Ejection/filling period
0.33 s per beat
Mean pressure gradient
40 mmHg

Result: Valve area 0.77 cm² (flow 216.5 mL/s) — severe aortic stenosis.

The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.

What the result means

Severity
Valve area (cm²): severe < 1.0, moderate 1.0–1.5, mild > 1.5.

What you enter

  • Valve
  • Cardiac output
  • Heart rate
  • Ejection/filling period
  • Mean pressure gradient
How this is calculated
Formula
Area = flow / (K·√mean gradient); flow = CO(mL/min) / (period·HR). K = 44.3 aortic (SEP), 37.7 mitral (DFP).

Gorlin R, Gorlin SG. Hydraulic formula for the calculation of the area of the stenotic mitral valve, other cardiac valves, and central circulatory shunts. Am Heart J. 1951;41(1):1-29. Read the source ↗

A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.

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Built by Clay Good. Source on GitHub.