Q23.1: Congenital insufficiency of aortic valve

Your aortic valve is leaking.

The heart pumps blood through the body. Inside the heart are 4 chambers. There are 2 heart atria and 2 ventricles. Both heart atria and both ventricles are separated from each other by a partition.

There are 4 valves in the heart. These valves ensure that the blood flows in the right direction. So they have to close tightly. They also have to open up fully so that the blood can be properly pumped out of the heart. The aortic valve is the valve between the left ventricle and the main artery.

Your aortic valve is leaking because it has not developed properly. While developing in the womb, many different types of tissue develop in the body. The organs and body parts develop out of the various types of tissue. If tissue fails to develop properly, then defects can occur. A defect of the aortic valve originates during development in the womb.

If the aortic valve is leaking, then some blood can flow back through the valve each time the heart beats. The heart may then have to work harder to pump enough blood into the body. You may have various symptoms as a result. The symptoms depend, for example, on how much blood is flowing back through the leaky valve. One may be short of breath, and feel weak or tired.