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Pulmonary valve regurgitation
Other names	Pulmonary insufficiency, pulmonary incompetence
Diagram of the human heart
Specialty	Cardiology
Causes	Pulmonary hypertension, Infective endocarditis
Diagnostic method	EKG, Echocardiogram
Treatment	Depends on cause(See cause)

Pulmonary (or pulmonic) regurgitation (or insufficiency, incompetence) is a condition in which the pulmonary valve is incompetent and allows backflow from the pulmonary artery to the right ventricle of the heart during diastole. While a small amount of backflow may occur ordinarily, it is usually only shown on an echocardiogram and is harmless. More pronounced regurgitation that is noticed through a routine physical examination is a medical sign of disease and warrants further investigation. If it is secondary to pulmonary hypertension it is referred to as a Graham Steell murmur.

Signs and symptoms

Because pulmonic regurgitation is the result of other factors in the body, any noticeable symptoms are ultimately caused by an underlying medical condition rather than the regurgitation itself. However, more severe regurgitation may contribute to right ventricular enlargement by dilation, and in later stages, right heart failure. A diastolic decrescendo murmur can sometimes be identified,( heard best) over the left lower sternal border.

Causes

Among the causes of pulmonary insufficiency are:

• Pulmonary hypertension
• Infective endocarditis
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Connective tissue disease
• Carcinoid syndrome
• Congenital abnormalities
• Tetralogy of Fallot,
• Prosthetic heart valve

Pathophysiology

The pathophysiology is due to diastolic pressure variations between the pulmonary artery and right ventricle, differences are often very small, but increase regurgitation. An elevation in pulmonary insufficiency due to elevated intrathoracic pressure is relevant in ventilated patients (having acute restrictive right ventricular physiology). The reasons for changes in stiffness of the right ventricle's walls are not well understood, but such stiffness is thought to increase with hypertrophy of the ventricle.

Diagnosis

In the diagnosis of pulmonary regurgitation both echocardiograms and ECG is used to ascertain if the individual has this condition, as well as, the use of a chest X-ray to expose enlargement of the right atrium or ventricle.

Treatment

In treating pulmonary regurgitation, it should be determined if pulmonary hypertension is causing the problem to therefore begin the most appropriate therapy as soon as possible (primary pulmonary hypertension or secondary pulmonary hypertension due to thromboembolism). Furthermore, pulmonary regurgitation is generally treated by addressing the underlying condition, in certain cases, the pulmonary valve may be surgically replaced.

See also

• Pulmonary valve stenosis

References

1. ^ Booker, Peter D. (2005). Pediatric cardiac anesthesia (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 430. ISBN 978-0-7817-5175-9. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
2. ^ "Pulmonary Valve Disease. About Pulmonary valve disease | Patient". Patient. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
3. ^ McGlothlin, Michael (2006). Current consult. New York, NY: Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill. p. 269. ISBN 978-0-07144-010-3.
4. T. R. Harrison (ed.): Principles of Internal Medicine, Third Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York / Toronto / London 1958, p. 1258.
5. "Pulmonary Insufficiency". FreeDictionary. Farlex. 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
6. White, Charles S.; Haramati, Linda B.; Chen, Joseph Jen-Sho; Levsky, Jeffrey M. (2014-03-01). Cardiac Imaging. OUP USA. p. 402. ISBN 9780199829477.
7. Auscultation Skills: Breath & Heart Sounds. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2009-10-01. p. 83. ISBN 9781605474540.
8. ^ "Pulmonic Regurgitation Clinical Presentation". Medscale.com. eMedicine. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
9. "pulmonary Valve disease". Patient.info. EMIS Group. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
10. Alpert, Joseph (2012). Cardiology and the Primary care Physician (3rd ed.). Current Medicine. p. 306. ISBN 978-1-4615-6603-8. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
11. O'Connor, Nicholas J. Talley, Simon (2014). Clinical examination : a systematic guide to physical diagnosis (Seventh ed.). Sydney : Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-72954-147-3. Retrieved 29 August 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
12. Chaturvedi, Rajiv R; Redington, Andrew N (2007-07-01). "Pulmonary regurgitation in congenital heart disease". Heart. 93 (7): 880–889. doi:10.1136/hrt.2005.075234. ISSN 1355-6037. PMC 1994453. PMID 17569817.
13. "Pulmonary Regurgitation (Pulmonic Regurgitation) Treatment & Management: Approach Considerations, Medical Care, Surgical Care". emedicine. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
14. "Heart valve surgery: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". www.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2015-08-30.

Further reading

• Lake, Carol L.; Booker, Peter D. (2005-01-01). Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 9780781751759.
• Bruce, Charles J.; Connolly, Heidi M. (2009-05-26). "Right-Sided Valve Disease Deserves a Little More Respect". Circulation. 119 (20): 2726–2734. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.776021. ISSN 0009-7322. PMID 19470901.
• M.D, Steven Lehrer (2011-12-27). Understanding Pediatric Heart Sounds. Steven Lehrer. ISBN 9781468138030.

External links

• "Problem: Pulmonary Valve Regurgitation". www.heart.org. Retrieved 2015-08-29.

• Valvular heart disease
• Vascular diseases
• Medical signs