Print OverviewIn heart valve disease, one or more of the valves in the heart doesn't work properly. There are four heart valves. They keep blood flowing through the heart in the correct direction. Sometimes a valve doesn't open or close all the way. This can change how blood flows through the heart to the rest of the body. Heart valve disease treatment depends on the heart valve affected and the type and severity of the disease. Sometimes surgery is needed to repair or replace the heart valve.Products & ServicesBlood Pressure Monitors at Mayo Clinic Store SymptomsSome people with heart valve disease might not have symptoms for many years. When symptoms occur, they might include: Shortness of breath at rest or when active or lying down. Fatigue. Chest pain. Dizziness. Swelling of the ankles and feet. Fainting. Irregular heartbeat. When to see a doctorIf you have symptoms of possible heart valve disease, make an appointment for a health checkup. You may be referred to a doctor trained in heart diseases, called a cardiologist. Request an appointment Causes Chambers and valves of the heart Enlarge image Close Chambers and valves of the heart Chambers and valves of the heart A typical heart has two upper and two lower chambers. The upper chambers, the right and left atria, receive incoming blood. The lower chambers, the more muscular right and left ventricles, pump blood out of the heart. The heart valves help keep blood flowing in the right direction. A typical heart and heart valve disease Enlarge image Close A typical heart and heart valve disease A typical heart and heart valve disease Heart valve disease may include a narrowed valve, called valve stenosis. Sometimes, blood moves backward through a valve. This is called valve regurgitation. If the valve flaps bulge backward, the condition is called valve prolapse. To understand the causes of heart valve disease, it may be helpful to know how the heart works. Four valves in the heart keep blood flowing in the right direction. These valves are: Aortic valve. Mitral valve. Pulmonary valve. Tricuspid valve. Each valve has flaps, called leaflets or cusps. The flaps open and close once during each heartbeat. If a valve flap doesn't open or close properly, less blood moves out of the heart to the rest of the body. Types of heart valve disease include: Stenosis. The valve flaps become thick or stiff and sometimes can join together. The valve opening becomes narrowed. Less blood can flow through the narrowed valve. Regurgitation. The valve flaps may not close tightly, causing blood to leak backward. Prolapse. The valve flaps become stretched out and floppy. They bulge backward like a parachute. This condition can lead to regurgitation. Atresia. The valve isn't formed. A solid sheet of tissue blocks the blood flow between the heart chambers. This type usually affects the pulmonary valve. Some people are born with heart valve disease. This is called congenital heart valve disease. But adults can get heart valve disease too. Causes of heart valve disease in adults may include infections, age-related changes and other heart conditions. Risk factorsSeveral things can increase the risk of heart valve disease, including: Older age. Some infections, such as rheumatic fever or blood infections. A heart attack or some types of heart disease. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other heart disease risk factors. ComplicationsHeart valve disease can cause many complications, including: Heart failure Stroke Blood clots Heart rhythm abnormalities Death By Mayo Clinic Staff Heart valve disease care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Nov. 22, 2023 Print Living with heart valve disease? Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Heart & Blood Health support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community. Heart & Blood Health Discussions High calcium score: I'm in shock 214 Replies Mon, Nov 04, 2024 chevron-right Important information about statins that I’m going to ask my doc about 190 Replies Mon, Nov 04, 2024 chevron-right High Ferritin Levels: How can I lower my levels? 16 Replies Thu, Oct 31, 2024 chevron-right See more discussions Show references What are heart valve diseases? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-valve-diseases. Accessed June 24, 2023. Nishimura RA, et al. 2017 AHA/ACC focused update of the 2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2017; doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.03.011. Ami TR. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. May 3, 2023. AskMayoExpert. Mitral regurgitation (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2023. AskMayoExpert. Aortic stenosis (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2021. Libby P, et al., eds. Transcatheter therapies for mitral and tricuspid valvular heart disease. In: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed June 26, 2023. Pregnancy and heart valve diseases. American Heart Association. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-valve-diseases/pregnancy. Accessed June 26, 2023. Otto CM, et al. 2020 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: Executive summary. Circulation. 2021; doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000932. Otto CM, et al. 2020 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2020.11.018. Phillips SD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Sept. 30, 2021. Lloyd-Jones DM, et al. Life's essential 8: Updating and enhancing the American Heart Association's construct of cardiovascular health: A presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2022; doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001078. American Heart Association adds sleep to cardiovascular health checklist. American Heart Association. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/american-heart-association-adds-sleep-to-cardiovascular-health-checklist. Accessed July 15, 2022. Options for heart valve replacement. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-valve-problems-and-disease/understanding-your-heart-valve-treatment-options/options-for-heart-valve-replacement. Accessed June 22, 2023. Arghami A, et al. Robotic mitral valve repair: A decade of experience with echocardiographic follow-up. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2022; doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.08.083. Rowse P (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. June 29, 2023. 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