What is the purpose of an aortic valve?

Help: When the heart contracts it squirts blood into the aorta; the aortic valve keeps the blood from flowing back into the heart (left ventricle).

Aortic valve: The valve opens to allow flow out of the heart to the body. If it doesn't open properly we call this stenosis. It has to close properly to keep blood flowing in a forward direction. If it doesn't we call this insufficiency. Either or both abnormalities can exist in the valve.