Aortic valve
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Aortic valve
Illustration copyright 2002, 2003 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com
The aortic valve has three flaps that work like a one-way gate. When the heart pumps, the aortic valve opens to allow oxygen-rich blood to flow from the left ventricle into the aorta. When the heart rests between beats, the aortic valve closes to keep blood from flowing backward into the heart.
Credits
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
| Last Updated | February 1, 2006 |
| Last updated: | February 01, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Reviewed By: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
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