What are the four heart valves?

• The tricuspid valve is between the right atrium and right ventricle.
• The pulmonary or pulmonic valve is between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery.
• The mitral valve is between the left atrium and left ventricle.
• The aortic valve is between the left ventricle and the aorta.

Each valve has a set of flaps (also called leaflets or cusps). When working properly, the heart valves open and close fully.

Heart valves don't always work as they should. A person can be born with an abnormal heart valve, a type of congenital heart defect. Also, a valve can become damaged by:

• infections such as infective endocarditis
• rheumatic fever
• changes in valve structure in the elderly

What is a defective heart valve?

A defective heart valve is one that fails to fully open or close.

• A stenotic heart valve can't open completely, so blood is pumped through a smaller-than-normal opening.
• A valve also may not be able to close completely. This leads to regurgitation (blood leaking back through the valve when it should be closed).

How are defective heart valves treated?

People with congenital heart valve defects may need treatment with drugs. Some valve defects may be repaired with surgery. See the sections in this Encyclopedia on Bacterial Endocarditis, Congenital Cardiovascular Disease, Congenital Cardiovascular Disease Treatments and Heart Valve Surgery.

See the Related Items box above for links to the Cardiology Patient Page in Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association:

• Aortic Valve Disease

Related AHA publications:

• Heart and Stroke Facts
• If Your Child Has a Congenital Heart Defect 
• What About My Child and Rheumatic Fever? (in Answers By Heart kit)

Related AHA scientific statements:
Congenital Heart Defects
Endocarditis
Valvular Heart Disease