Heart valve disease occurs when the heart's valves are damaged, either by disease, such as rheumatic fever, or from congenital causes.

To see a picture of the heart's valves at work in a healthy person, click on the link below:
Food and Drug Administration

For more information about heart valve disease, click on the links below:
National Library of Medicine - Mitral Valve Prolapse - English
National Library of Medicine - Mitral Valve Prolapse - Español
Medline Plus - English
Medline Plus - Español
Cleveland Clinic Heart Center