Disorders In Heart Valve: A Risk To Heart

The function of the heart valves is to maintain the unidirectional flow of blood in the heart by opening and closing depending on the difference in pressure on each side. A heart valve disorder may involve narrowing (stenosis) of a valve's opening, interfering with blood flow through the valve. Or a heart valve disorder may involve backward leakage (regurgitation) of blood through a valve. Stenosis and regurgitation may affect the same valve

A heart valve disorder can develop in any of the four heart valves (mitral, aortic, tricuspid, or pulmonary valves). The mitral valve controls blood flow from the left auricle of the heart (atrium) to the left ventricle. The aortic valve controls blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta, the artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body. The tricuspid valve controls blood flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle. The pulmonary (pulmonic) valve controls blood flow from the right ventricle into the arteries that carry blood to the lungs (pulmonary arteries) Among older people, disorders of the aortic valve and the mitral valve are the most common.