Heart valve

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

AV valves

These are large, multicusped valves that prevent backflow from the ventricles into the atria during systole. They are anchored to the wall of the ventricle by chordae tendinae, that prevent the valve from inverting.

Related Topics:
Atria - Systole - Chordae tendinae

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The chordae tendinae are attached to papillary muscles that cause tension to better hold the valve. Together, the papillary muscles and the chordae tendinae are known as the subvalvular apparatus. The function of the subvalvular apparatus is to keep the valves from prolapsing into the atria when they close. The subvalvular apparatus have no effect on the opening and closure of the valves, however. This is caused entirely by the pressure gradient across the valve.

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Mitral valve

Also known as the bicuspid valve, the mitral valve gets its name from the resemblance to a bishop's mitre (a type of hat). It prevents blood flowing from the left ventricle into the left atrium. As it is on the left side of the heart, in must cope with a lot of strain and pressure, this is why it is made of only two cusps, as there is less to go wrong.

Related Topics:
Bishop - Mitre - Left ventricle - Left atrium

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A common complication of rheumatic fever is thickening and stenosis of the mitral valve.

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Tricuspid valve

The tricuspid valve is on the right side of the heart, between the right atrium and the right ventricle. Being the first valve after the venae cavae, and thus the whole venous system, it is the most common valve to be infected (endocarditis) in IV drug users.

Related Topics:
Right atrium - Right ventricle - Venae cavae - Endocarditis - IV drug

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