The aortic and pulmonic valves of the heart. The heart is composed of 4 valves (the other two being the mitral and tricuspid valves) that function to regulate forward blood flow through the heart, and prevent backward flow of blood. . ♥️ When your doctor listens to your heart through a stethoscope, what he or she is actually listening for are the normal sounds of these valves closing with each heartbeat (the aortic and pulmonic valves close together, and the tricuspid and mitral valves close together). . 💕 In between these normal sounds, your doctor will listen closely for abnormal heart sounds called murmurs, which are caused by turbulent (or abnormally moving) blood flow. This can be caused by a valve being too tight when it's open, causing blood to squeeze through it (which we call stenosis) or by a valve that's open when it's actually supposed to be closed, allowing blood to flow backwards (called regurgitation). . The physical exam is paramount to everyday clinical practice, and listening to the heart is just one of the many aspects of a physician's physical exam. #nowyouknow ❤️💪
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