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Cardiac syndromes

Congenital Aortic Valve Anomalies

In the heart, the aortic valve connects the left ventricle and the aorta. Comprised of three half-moon shaped cusps, the valve's function is to prevent blood flow back into the left ventricle once it has moved into the aorta for peripheral circulation. Congenital anomalies include aortic regurgitant murmur, aortic atresia and aortic obstruction, and may lead to secondary conditions that include aortic stenosis.

Aortic regurgitant murmur occurs when the valve fails to fully close during ventricular diastole, allowing blood to flow back into the ventricle. In aortic atresia, there is not a normal opening between the left ventricle and the aorta, leading to obstructed or interrupted blood flow to the body. Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic opening and may be the result of a congenital malformation or the fusion of the three cusps. This condition reduces the amount of blood that reaches the aorta, affecting cardiac output and pulmonary efficiency.