Definition of "Valve regurgitation"

Last modified: 9 days



Valve regurgitation (aka valve incompetence, valve insufficiency) is a heart valve does not close properly, causing back flow of blood [in the opposite direction from normal].

Patient information

What is valve regurgitation?
It's where a valve doesn't close properly. This makes it so blood flows back, during that time whe it's supposed to close.

Dx
  • Murmur, heard during supposed valve closing, because the valve doesn't close properly. So this incldues:
    • Systolic murmur (i.e. after S1, for the ventricular pump, when the mitral/tricuspid valves close), which thus refers to mitral or tricuspid regurgitation
    • Diastolic murmur (i.e. after S2, for the atrial pump, when the aortic/pulmonary valves close), which thus refers to aortic or pulmonary regurgitation

Patient information

How do you know if a valve doesn't close properly?
When the valve is supposed to be closed, there's a slight gap, which makes a whooshing sound, similar to how wind instruments create sound. So in systole, when the bottom parts of the heart pump, and the mitral/tricuspid valves are supposed to be closed, stuff will leak. So a systolic murmur means mitral or tricuspid regurgitation. Diastolic murmur therefore is the opposite, and means an aortic or pulmonary regurgitation.

Classification
  • Aortic regurgitation, which is backflow of blood from the aorta into the L ventricle, due to insufficiency of the aortic semilunar valve, which may be chronic or acute
  • Mitral regurgitation, which is backflow of blood from the L ventricle into the L atrium, due to insufficiency of the mitral valve. It may be acute or chronic, and is usually due to mitral valve prolapse, rheumatic heart disease, or a complication of cardiac dilatation
  • Pulmonary regurgitation, which is backflow of blood from the pulmonary artery into the R ventricle, owing to insufficiency of the pulmonic semilunar valve
  • Tricuspid regurgitation, which is backflow of blood from the R ventricle into the R atrium, due to insufficiency of the tricuspid valve
See also
  • Valve stenosis
  • Valvular heart disease (category)

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Definition of Valve regurgitation | Autoprac


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