What happens with valves that leak (regurgitation)?

Valves that leak cause the heart to have to pump the same blood twice . . . that is, a part of the work of the heart simply is for no good purpose, as the blood comes right back into the chamber. The heart has a number of ways it can compensate for this extra work. The first tendency is for the chambers to enlarge, since there is more blood to pump (the blood it usually would need to pump to the rest of the body plus the regurgitated blood). This is usually quite effective if the leakage is mild or moderate, and the person may not even realize there is any problem at all. In more severe cases, the heart muscle may begin to wear down. Congestive heart failure may then result, characterized by shortness of breath, swelling of the ankles, and other symptoms. The enlarged chambers may also lead to problems with arrhythmias.