Heart valve

In anatomy, the heart valves are valves in the heart that prevent blood from flowing the wrong way.

Related Topics:
Anatomy - Valve - Heart

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There are four valves of the heart:

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• Two atrioventricular (AV) valves - ensure blood flows from the atria to the ventricles, and not the other way.
• Two semilunar valves - these are present in the arteries leaving the heart, and they prevent blood flowing back from the artery into the ventricle.

Heart valves open and shut depending on the difference in pressure on each side. The sound of the heart valves shutting causes the heart sounds.

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Heart valve: AV valves ►