Pulmonic / pulmonary valve
This section is about
Structures of the Heart
The pulmonary valve is one of the semilunar valves of the heart, the other semilunar valve being the aortic valve.
The pulmonary valve has three cusps and opens in ventricular systole when the pressure in the right ventricle rises above the pressure in the pulmonary artery. The function of the pulmonary valve is to prevent blood that is leaving the heart via the right ventricle (into the pulmonary trunk - of the pulmonary artery), from flowing backwards and so re-entering the heart.
This is important because backflow of blood through an incompletely closed valve such as the pulmonary valve (a condition known as 'regurgitation') can lead to congestive heart failure, in which the heart can no-longer pump enough blood out to supply the body's needs for oxygen.
More about the heart and blood circulation:
See the following for more about the heart, blood, blood circulation, disorders of the blood circulation system, and related topics.
- The Structure of the Heart
- The Functions of the Heart
- Systemic Circulation (i.e. blood flow around the body beyond the heart and lungs)
- Pulmonary Circulation (i.e. blood flow through the heart and lungs)
- Heart Conditions, heart problems and disorders, both chronic and acute
- Heart Disease Risk Factors, avoidable and unavoidable
- Discoveries about the circulatory system and how it works
- Books about heart disease.
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