Valvular Heart Disease Health Article

Definition

Valvular heart disease refers to several disorders and diseases of the heart valves, which are the tissue flaps that regulate the flow of blood through the four chambers of the heart.

Description

The human heart consists of four chambers—two upper chambers (the atria) and two lower chambers (the ventricles)—that are responsible for pumping blood. The heart valves are like one-way doors, which open and close with each beat of the heart, controlling the blood flow from one chamber to the next. Each of these valves is made up of a few thin folds of tissue. When functioning correctly, they keep blood from flowing backwards into a chamber when closed.

The four valves function in the following manner:

• The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle. It is the only valve with two flaps, or cusps.
• The tricuspid valve is located on the right side of the heart, between the right atrium and right ventricle. It is made up of three cusps, each a different size.
• The aortic valve is located on the left side of the heart and opens to allow blood to leave the heart from the left ventricle into the aorta, which is the main artery of the body. It closes to prevent blood from flowing back into the left ventricle.
• The pulmonary valve is situated on the right side of the heart, between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery. It allows blood to exit the heart and enter the lungs via the pulmonary artery. It closes to prevent blood from flowing back into the right ventricle.

Patients with valvular heart disease have a malfunction of one or more of these valves. There are several types of valvular heart diseases with distinct symptoms and treatments. These are:

• mitral valve prolapse (displacement)
• mitral valve insufficiency (regurgitation)
• mitral valve stenosis (narrowing)
• aortic valve insufficiency
• aortic valve stenosis
• tricuspid valve insufficiency
• tricuspid valve stenosis
• pulmonic stenosis
• pulmonic insufficiency

Certain types of heart disease can lead to one of the specific conditions listed above. These include rheumatic fever and infective inflammation of the heart (endocarditis). Multivalvular heart disease refers to a condition involving more than one of the heart valves.

Causes and symptoms

Problems with heart valves may occur as a result of infection, degeneration, or congenital abnormality. The most common infections are rheumatic fever and infective endocarditis.