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Heart valves can have one of two malfunctions:
- Regurgitation
The valve(s) does not close completely, causing the blood to flow backward instead of forward through the valve.
- Stenosis
The valve(s) opening becomes narrowed or does not form properly, inhibiting the flow of blood out of the ventricle or atria. The heart must pump blood with increased force in order to move blood through the stiff (stenotic) valve(s).
It’s possible for heart valves to have both malfunctions at the same time (regurgitation and stenosis).
When heart valves fail to open and close properly, the implications for the heart can be serious, possibly hampering the heart's ability to pump blood adequately through the body. Heart-valve problems are one cause of heart failure.
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