what cause heart valves to become leaky

[iris986]

Recently after having total thyroidectomy, I was told i have leaky heart valves in the tricuspid,aortic and mitral valve. What causes this to come on suddenly?

[ed34]

Has it come on suddenly? did you have tests some time ago which suggested that there
was no leaking from those valves? As Kenkeith states, mild leaking is not really a problem and more people than you realise have slightly leaking valves. There is also the
possiblity of disease making the valves too stiff or slightly out of shape. If you have
significant leaks in those valves then you would certainly know about it.

[kenkeith]

Valve regurgitation (leaking valve) when just a trace, mild, etc. is not considered medically significant.  To come on suddenly would be medical emergency, and the cause could be the rupture of the papillary heart muscle (area that attaches chords to valve leaflets) or the chords could break away from the leaflets, etc.  Sometimes perhaps the left ventricle can quickly enlarge and that would skew the opening (orifice), but there would be other signs and symptoms associated.