ABSTRACT
Heart valve disease is one of the main afžictions of the cardiovascular system and can be caused by rheumatic fever, ischemic heart disease, bacterial or fungal infection, connective tissue disorders, trauma, and malignant carcinoid. In advanced form, it leads to various disabilities and, ultimately, to death. The valves that are most commonly affected are the mitral, aortic, and tricuspid valves. Malfunction of the valves affects their hemodynamic (i.e., žuid dynamic) performance in two primary ways:
1.Stenosis: narrowing of the valve, which results in a greater resistance to blood žow and, therefore, a greater pressure drop across the valve
2.Incompetence: failure of the valve to close completely, allowing blood to žow in the reverse direction (also called “regurgitation”) when the valve should be shut
Both of these conditions reduce the efŸciency of the heart and place additional stresses and strains upon it.
