Heart valve problems

The heart is consist four chambers, recognized as the right and left atrium and the right and left ventricles.

Each of these chambers has valves that avoid blood flowing backwards into the chamber it has just come from. These valves regularly make sure blood moves forward through the heart.

Diseased heart valves that are damaged and do not open and close correctly can allow blood to leak backwards (regurgitation or valve incompetence) or block the flow of blood (valve stenosis).

Whatever the type of valve problem, the heart is put below extra strain, increasing the likelihood of heart failure.