What Is Tricuspid Regurgitation?
Tricuspid valve regurgitation is leaking from your lower heart chamber (ventricle) to your upper heart chamber (atrium) on the right side of your heart. Typically, your tricuspid valve opens and closes to allow blood to flow from your right atrium to your right ventricle. In regurgitation, your valve doesn’t close properly, and blood leaks back into your right atrium.
Stages of Tricuspid Regurgitation
There are four stages of tricuspid regurgitation:
- Trace tricuspid regurgitation: You have a very slight leak that causes no symptoms or problems.
- Mild tricuspid regurgitation: You have a minimal leak.
- Moderate tricuspid regurgitation: You have a larger leak that may cause symptoms.
- Severe tricuspid regurgitation: You have a large leak that may cause significant symptoms.
Tricuspid Regurgitation Symptoms
Most people have no symptoms of tricuspid regurgitation. You will typically only have symptoms if you have moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling and fluid buildup in your abdomen, ankles, or feet
Tricuspid Regurgitation Murmur
People with tricuspid regurgitation often have a heart murmur. A heart murmur is a whooshing sound that your provider can hear when they listen to your heart with a stethoscope.
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Causes of Tricuspid Regurgitation
Tricuspid regurgitation may be organic or functional. Organic tricuspid regurgitation means the condition develops out of a problem with the structure of your heart valve. This type of tricuspid regurgitation is rare and may have a relationship with other conditions:
- Carcinoid syndrome
- Ebstein’s anomaly
- Endocarditis
- Trauma
More often, people have functional tricuspid regurgitation. This means you have another disease that has progressed so much that it affects your tricuspid valve. Several diseases can lead to functional tricuspid regurgitation:
Diagnosing Tricuspid Regurgitation
Your cardiologist will listen to your heart with a stethoscope to check for signs of a heart murmur. Then they’ll look more closely at your heart’s structure and function through cardiac imaging:
- Chest X-rays
- Echocardiograms (ECHO)
- Electrocardiograms (EKGs)
Tricuspid Regurgitation ECHO
An echocardiogram is the gold standard test for diagnosing tricuspid regurgitation. It uses sound waves to get a clear picture of your heart’s structure. Your cardiologist will use an ECHO test to evaluate how blood flows through your heart when diagnosing tricuspid regurgitation.
Tricuspid Regurgitation Treatment
Your treatment plan will likely start with medications. Tricuspid valve regurgitation differs from other heart valve regurgitation because some people can manage it for a long time with medicines. You will take diuretics (water pills) to remove excess fluid from your body.
You typically won’t need any treatment for mild tricuspid regurgitation. Your cardiologist may recommend regular follow-up visits to make sure the condition doesn’t worsen.
Tricuspid Regurgitation Surgery
You may need a valve repair or replacement if medicines don’t control regurgitation. We offer all repair and replacement techniques:
- Catheter-based options
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Robotic surgery
Why Choose University of Utah Health?
Our multispecialty team, including cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons, work together to provide coordinated care through our Valvular Heart Disease Program. We offer the entire range of heart valve treatments, including minimally invasive and robotic surgery options. Patients who don’t need surgery have access to a variety of treatments, including medication management, counseling about lifestyle changes, and cardiac rehabilitation.
Refer a Patient
You may refer a patient to our Structural Heart Program by calling 801-213-5922 or filling out an online referral.