Bicuspid aortic valve disease (BAVSD) is a group of disorders that affect the heart. The aortic valve is a part of the heart that normally has three cusps (also called leaflets) that manages the blood flow in the heart's left ventricle. The...
The heart functions to pump blood to and from the lungs to receive oxygen and then pump the oxygenated blood through the body. Blood flows through the four chambers of the heart through heart valves that open and close as the chambers contract and...
The aortic valve separates the lower left chamber of the heart, the left ventricle and the aorta, the blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body. The one-way aortic valve normally has three leaflets, or cusps. Bicuspid aortic valve...
Aortic valve stenosis is a condition in which the heart's aortic valve narrows, preventing the valve from opening fully. The narrowed heart valve obstructs blood flow, causing the heart to have to work harder. Over time the heart becomes weakened...
The heart contains four chambers with a wall separating the right and left sides. The two upper chambers, known as the atria, receive blood while the two lower chambers, known as the ventricles, pump blood. Blood flows in only one direction...
The aortic valve is the one-way outlet between the lower left heart chamber and the aorta, the large artery that carries oxygenated blood to the body. Malformations, infections and other disease processes can cause obstruction or leaking of the...
Blood normally passes through the aortic valve to the aorta and out of the heart. Problems with the valve can obstruct blood flow or cause blood to leak from the valve as it closes. When defects in the aortic valve cannot be repaired, doctors may...
Aortic valve replacement is an open-heart surgical procedure for treating a diseased aortic valve. Wearing out due to age is the most common cause of aortic valve disease, according to Thoralf M. Sundt, M.D., member of The Society of Thoracic...
Aortic valve replacement surgery is a major heart procedure designed to help restore functionality to the aortic valve according to the Texas Heart Institute. The surgery may be performed in response to a valve defect, calcification of the valve...
Aortic Stenosis (AS) is a disease of the aortic valve that obstructs the outflow of blood from the heart to the rest of the body. It's usually diagnosed by a combination of history, including symptoms of chest pain and dizziness, as well as...
According to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, aortic replacement is a surgery that is performed to treat the narrowing or leakage of the aortic valve. The aortic valve is a valve that opens up to let blood flow out of the left ventricle without...
Aortic heart disease is a condition affecting the aortic valve, one of four valves in the heart. Most aortic valve problems are related to stenosis, when the valve becomes rigid an unable to open properly, or regurgitation, when the valve leaflets...
Heart attack, ischemic disease, valvular disease and other terminology refer to the heart when it is sick. A patient can have many symptoms that are indicative of heart disease. According to the National Institute of Health, NIH, heart disease...
Aortic valve stenosis, otherwise known as aortic stenosis or calcium aortic stenosis, is a heart disease produced by the narrowing of the aortic valve. In healthy individuals, blood flows through this valve after your lungs oxygenate the blood....
The circulatory system consists of the heart and all the blood vessels including the veins, arteries and capillaries. The heart contains a natural pacemaker, known as the sinus node, which produces electrical impulses that trigger it to contract....
The heart is comprised of four valves--the aortic, pulmonary, tricuspid and mitral valves--that all play a vital role in controlling the force, volume and direction of blood flow through the heart, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Congenital...
The heart’s valves help direct blood flow into and out of the heart in one direction. When functioning properly, these valves open and close shut completely. However, malfunction resulting from birth defects, infection and age-related...
The efficiency of the heart as a pump depends not only on the force of its contractions, but also on the correct functioning of its four valves. The valves are subject to a variety of disorders, most commonly the failure to open or close properly....
The pumping action of the heart circulates the blood throughout the body and a sequence of events, jointly called the cardiac cycle, make this pumping action posible. Generally, the cardiac cycle can be divided into two separate periods: the...
Heart valve disease and conditions affect one or more of the four valves in the heart called the tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral and aortic valves. Heart valve malfunctions can occur due to disease, infection or defects that are present since birth,...
A buildup of calcium on your heart increases your risk of heart disease and heart attack. When calcium builds up in your aortic valves, the blood flow to your heart is reduced, which can cause these life-threatening medical problems. If your...
The heart is one of our strongest and most important muscles. It is the reason our other muscles have nutrients. Without the pumping action of the heart, we could not function. Knowledge of basic anatomy and circulation will help with...
The heart is a muscle that works nonstop. By the end of a long life, the average heart will beat 3.6 billion times and pump about 2,000 gallons of blood a day. Like any muscle in the body, it can be strengthened with regular exercise. The stronger...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that approximately every 25 seconds, someone in America will have some type of heart disease event. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the United States, about one...
Maintaining a healthy heart is vital for a long, productive and fit life. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers worldwide, and the biggest killer in the United States. Armed with a little knowledge about how your heart works, you can...
Doctors diagnose diseases by the primary cause, for example, one type of diarrhea results from dysentery, an infection of the intestines caused by a bacterium. Another type of diarrhea can be caused by Crohn’s disease, an inflammation of...
The valves in the heart are located between the four chambers and keep the blood flowing in the right direction. These valves can be damaged from heart disease, congenital defect, injury or from infection. These types of damage can lead to...
The heart contains four one-way valves that open and close in sync with heart contractions. Malformation of a heart valve or damage acquired through disease sometimes necessitates heart valve replacement. A poorly functioning valve may be replaced...
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the endocardium, the inner layer of the heart, including the heart valves. Learn more about endocarditic in this health video.
