Aortic Valve [ EXCLUSIVE ✯ ]

When the left ventricle contracts, pressure rises until it exceeds the pressure in the aorta. This forces the leaflets open, allowing blood to surge into the systemic circulation.

Directly behind each cusp are elliptical depressions in the aortic wall that house the openings ( ostia ) to the coronary arteries, ensuring the heart muscle receives its own blood supply during diastole. Function in the Cardiac Cycle aortic valve

As the heart relaxes, pressure in the ventricle drops below that of the aorta. The back-pressure of the blood in the aorta pushes the leaflets together to form a tight seal, creating the second heart sound (the "dub" in "lub-dub"). Common Conditions and Diseases When the left ventricle contracts, pressure rises until

In a healthy heart, the valve typically consists of three thin, half-moon-shaped flaps called leaflets or cusps . Function in the Cardiac Cycle As the heart