The aortic valve is found between the left ventricle and the aorta of the heat. It has three leaflets that function like a one-way door, allowing blood to flow forward into the aorta, but not backward into the left ventricle.
Aortic valve disease occurs when the valve does not open or close properly. This disease sometimes may be a condition present at birth (congenital heart disease) or it may result from other causes.
Types of aortic valve disease include: aortic stenosis, a condition where the aortic valve opening is narrowed, and aortic regurgitation, also known as aortic insufficiency, a condition caused by the aortic valve not closing properly, resulting in the backflow of blood into the left ventricle.