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What Do Heart Valves Do?

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page Last Updated: July 10, 2025

I just received a great patient mail that asks, "Hi Adam, What do valves in the heart do?"

Considering the complexity of the body and your heart, it's a great question.

Often times, I find that answering this question helps both heart valve surgery patients and caregivers.

The answer to the question, "What do heart valves do?", is actually pretty simple. The four valves in your heart - mitral valve, aortic valve, tricuspid valve and pulmonary valve - are used to control the flow of blood through your heart.

Animated heart with blood moving through the valves

When heart valves function properly, the valves help blood move in the heart in one direction. However, when there are problems with a heart valve (aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, calcified leaflets, etc.), blood can flow backwards or blood can not freely flow through the heart.

If a heart valve defect or heart valve disorder is significant, several long-term problems can occur for the patient. That is why heart valve surgery - either heart valve repair or heart valve replacement - may be required.

I hope that helps answers your question of, "What do valves in the heart do?"

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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