User:Mr. Ibrahem/Pulmonary valve insufficiency
Medical condition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pulmonary valve insufficiency, also known as pulmonary regurgitation, is a type of valvular heart disease in which there is backward flow of blood from the pulmonary artery, through the pulmonary valve, into the right ventricle, when the heart relaxes.[1] Most people have no symptoms.[1] When symptoms do occur these may include shortness of breath with exercise, leg swelling, and an enlarged liver.[1] Complications may include heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia, and tricuspid insufficiency.[1]
Pulmonary valve insufficiency | |
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Other names | Pulmonary regurgitation, pulmonary incompetence |
Diagram of the heart with a black arrow showing the location and direction of the abnormal blood flow | |
Specialty | Cardiology |
Symptoms | Few symptoms initially, may develop shortness of breath with exercise[1] |
Complications | Heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia, tricuspid regurgitation[1] |
Causes | Pulmonary hypertension, surgical valvulotomy, balloon valvuloplasty, carcinoid syndrome, infective endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, congenital valve disease[1] |
Diagnostic method | Suspected based on a diastolic murmur, confirmed by echocardiogram[1] |
Differential diagnosis | Aortic regurgitation, pulmonary emboli, constrictive pericarditis[1] |
Treatment | Active monitoring, pulmonary valve replacement[1] |
Frequency | Severe disease is rare[2] |
Causes may include pulmonary hypertension, surgical valvulotomy, balloon valvuloplasty, carcinoid syndrome, infective endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, or congenital valve disease.[1] It commonly occurs in people with tetralogy of Fallot as the surgery to correct the abnormality can result in pulmonary valve issues years later.[1] The diagnosis may be suspected based on a diastolic murmur and confirmed by an ultrasound of the heart.[1]
Yearly ultrasounds may be recommended in those at risk.[1] In those with pulmonary hypertension, that should be treated.[2] In those with symptoms, pulmonary valve replacement may be recommended.[1] The tricuspid valve may benefit from being repaired at the same time.[1] In those unable to have surgery, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and beta-blockers may be used to treat heart failure.[1] Outcomes can be good with surgery.[1]
Severe pulmonary valve insufficiency is rare.[2] A small to moderate amount of back flow may normally occur.[1][3] The murmur of pulmonary valve insufficiency was first described in 1873 by George Balfour and later in 1888 by Graham Steell.[4][5] It was further described by William Osler in 1892, at which time it was considered of little importance.[6]