Heart ValvesHeart valves connect the four chambers of the heart; atria and ventricles. As blood passes through the valves before leaving the chambers, they close preventing the back flow of blood. Each valve has three flaps with the exception of the mitral valve; it has only two flaps. Below are the four heart valves: 1. The tricuspid valve  Heart-Valves Right atrium → tricuspid valve → right ventricle Once the right ventricle is filled with blood, the pulmonary valve opens and blood goes out into the pulmonary veins. Once all the blood has flowed out of the right ventricle, the pulmonary valve closes preventing back flow of blood into the right ventricle. Right ventricle → pulmonary vessel → lungs The blood continues to flow from the pulmonary vessel to the lungs where it exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen. When this exchange takes place in the alveoli, the blood flows through the pulmonary vessel into the left atrium. Lungs → pulmonary vessel → left atrium From the left atrium blood goes trough the mitral valve and pours into the left ventricle. Left atrium → mitral valve → left ventricle The blood leaves the left ventricle through the aortic valve into the aorta which in turn distributes oxygen rich blood throughout the body. Left ventricle → aortic valve → aorta This sequence of events happens very fast! The normal heart rate is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. You can imagine how fast it is! Heart valve problems can be caused by infections, heart attacks, or heart disease. They can be present at birth and some valve problems are minor and do not need treatment. Others may require medicine, medical procedures or surgery to repair or replace the valve. Conditions like regurgitation, mitral valve stenosis, tricuspid valve stenosis, pulmonary valve stenosis, aortic valve stenosis, and mitral valve prolapse are some of those problems. Return from heart valves to the heart
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