How many valves does the heart have?

The heart has a total of four valves that play crucial roles in maintaining proper blood flow through the cardiac cycle. These valves include the right atrioventricular valve (tricuspid), the left atrioventricular valve (mitral), the pulmonary valve, and the aortic valve.

The tricuspid and mitral valves are responsible for controlling blood flow between the atria and ventricles, preventing backflow into the atria during ventricular contraction. The pulmonary and aortic valves regulate blood flow out of the ventricles, ensuring that blood is directed appropriately either into the lungs (via the pulmonary artery) or into systemic circulation (via the aorta). This coordinated action of the four valves is essential for efficient heart function and proper circulation throughout the body.