Heart Valves Summary

Heart Valves

  • Function of Heart Valves

    • Ensure one-way blood flow

    • Composed of two or three fibrous flaps (cusps or leaflets) covered with endothelium

    • Connected to papillary muscles via chordae tendineae

  • Types of Valves

    • Atrioventricular (AV) Valves

    • Tricuspid valve (right side)

    • Bicuspid/Mitral valve (left side)

    • Semilunar Valves

    • Pulmonary Am

  • Atrial Pressure < Ventricular Pressure for AV valves to open

    • Ventricular Pressure > Artery Pressure for semilunar valves to open

  • Valvular Insufficiency (Incompetence)

    • Failure to prevent regurgitation (backward flow of blood)

    • Causes stiffening of cusps, constricted openings

    • Commonly results from rheumatic fever (autoimmune disease)

    • Can lead to heart murmur (noise from turbulent blood flow)

  • Valvular Stenosis

    • Narrowed valve openings, restricting blood flow

  • Mitral Valve Prolapse

    • Bulging of mitral valve into atrium during contraction, often hereditary

    • Affects about 1 in 40 people, particularly young women

  • Practice Quiz Insights

    • Understanding pressure dynamics is key to determining valve states

    • Common pressures in quizzes illustrate closed/open states of valves based on pressure comparisons.