The heart has two sides (right and left) and four distinct chambers.
Atria
The upper two chambers are called atria. The right atrium collects blood flowing in from the body and the left atrium collects blood flowing in from the lungs.
Ventricles
The lower two chambers are called ventricles. They collect blood from the atria then pump it out. The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs. The left ventricle pumps blood through the aorta to the rest of the body.
Valves
The heart has four valves (aortic, mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary). The job of each heart valve is to:
- Open, so that blood can flow out of the chamber.
- Close, so that blood does not flow back the wrong way.
Valve Problems
- Stenosis. This happens when a valve does not open wide enough, blocking the blood flow.
- Regurgitation. This occurs when a valve does not close well and becomes leaky. This allows blood to flow in the wrong direction.
Most Common Heart Valve Problems in Older Adults
- Aortic stenosis is when the blood flow through the aortic valve is partially blocked. This reduces blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta and to the rest of the body.
- Mitral regurgitation is when blood flowing through the mitral valve leaks from the left ventricle back into the left atrium.
- Tricuspid regurgitation happens when blood flow through the tricuspid valve leaks from the right ventricle back into the right atrium.
Not all heart valve problems need treatment. Some value issues may be very slight, and might not cause any problems for the person. However some valve problems can impact a person’s quality of life and the people may benefit from medicines, a procedure, or surgery.
Recent advances in repairing and replacing heart valves have allowed more older adults to be able to benefit from these procedures.
Last Updated February 2023