The heart has four valves: the mitral, tricuspid, aortic and pulmonary valves.
Heart valve disease is a condition in which one or more valves of the heart are diseased due to rheumatic fever, mucus degeneration, degenerative changes, congenital malformations, ischaemic necrosis, infection or trauma.
The lesioned valve undergoes structural changes or abnormal activity, causing restricted opening or incomplete closure of the valve, valve stenosis or regurgitation, which affects the normal flow of blood, thus causing abnormal heart function and eventually heart failure.