Types of defects: abnormal heart valves

Heart valve defects are among the most common heart defects, with up to 2 percent of the population living with a bicuspid aortic valve. Most valve defects are identified at birth, but some may go unrecognized for 50 years. It can take decades before damage to the heart valves manifests as symptoms, because the heart is very good at adapting and compensating for defects. However, these adaptations can eventually be overwhelmed, leading to heart failure. Valve defects need to be corrected before irreversible damage to the heart occurs. The most common valve defects include:

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Valve stenosis - Aortic or pulmonary valves. These very common defects are characterized by a narrowing of the aortic or pulmonary valve. Valve stenosis results in blood backing up behind the valve, which reduces the blood flow in the heart and body, and increases pressures within the heart.

Bicuspid aortic valve - A bicuspid valve is malformed, constructed of two leaflets instead of three. With time, the leaflets tend to thicken and cause narrowing or stenosis. Sometimes the valve leaks blood back into the left ventricle (regurgitation). This increases the volume of blood for the heart to pump, which can make the left ventricle dilate and sometimes fail.

Valve atresia: Pulmonary or tricuspid valves - Valve atresia is a rare, complicated defect in which a solid sheet of tissue forms in place of the valve. It is often associated with ventricular septal defects and results in abnormal blood flow--the blood cannot follow the normal path to the lungs to be oxygenated.

Valve regurgitation - Regurgitation of the valve means the valve does not close completely, allowing blood to flow backwards into the ventricle or atrium. Valve regurgitation decreases pumping efficiency, increasing the workload of the heart and occurs more commonly in the aortic, mitral, or tricuspid valves.

Ebstein's anomaly - This is a very rare defect in which the tricuspid valve is both misshapen and displaced. The defective tricuspid valve allows blood to flow backwards into the right atrium instead of to the lungs. It is frequently associated with atrial septal defects and abnormal heart rhythm disturbances.