Your heart has four valves with tissue that flaps open and close in sync with the heartbeat. The flaps ensure a continuous flow of blood through the four chambers of the heart and other parts of the body. Valvular heart disease occurs if one or more of these valves do not work very well.
Infection, advancing age, or other conditions may not allow the flaps to open completely or may adversely affect how blood travels back to the heart chambers. As a result, your heart may be unable to pump blood properly.