What should I do if I have tricuspid regurgitation

Patients with tricuspid regurgitation are prone to symptoms of fatigue, gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating and pain in the liver area, and abdominal swelling and edema. Therefore, patients should pay attention to further diagnosis and determine whether treatment measures should be taken based on their condition.

1. Clinical manifestations

The signs and symptoms of tricuspid regurgitation are related to the degree of tricuspid regurgitation. Mild regurgitation is not easily detected clinically. More serious cases may cause fatigue, poor appetite, bloating and pain in the liver area, abdominal distension, and lower limb edema.

2. Typical signs

There is distended, pulsating jugular veins; an enlarged liver with a palpable pulsation; and a holosystolic blowing murmur at the fourth intercostal space on the left side of the sternum that increases with late inspiration (Carvallo sign). Classic signs may be absent in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation. If the liver is sclerotic due to long-term congestion, it will no longer pulsate; when the right heart volume load reaches its limit, the murmur will no longer increase with inspiration, so the Carvallo sign can be negative.

The radiograph showed right atrium and right ventricle hypertrophy, bulging of the right edge of the heart, and changes caused by other valvular diseases. The electrocardiogram shows atrial hypertrophy, tall and wide P waves; there is also right bundle branch block or right ventricular hypertrophy, and even myocardial strain. Atrial fibrillation is common.

3. Treatment

A small amount of reflux does not require treatment. When blood is ejected from the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery, the tricuspid valve will close to prevent blood from returning to the right atrium. Tricuspid valve regurgitation means that when blood is ejected from the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery, it is not closed tightly, and some blood returns to the right atrium. Mild reflux has no symptoms and can be temporarily observed without treatment. If it is severe, it will increase the burden on the right atrium, causing right atrial dilation, and then poor systemic venous return. Severe reflux requires surgical treatment, and drug treatment is useless!