Tricuspid regurgitation

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Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Tricuspid Regurgitation

Tricuspid Regurgitation

Tricuspid insufficiency

Ttricuspid regurgitation may not produce any symptoms if the patient does not havepulmonary hypertension. If pulmonary hypertension and moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation exist together, the following symptoms may result:

• Active pulsing in the neck veins
• Swelling of the abdomen
• Swelling of the feet and ankles
• Fatigue , tiredness
• Weakness
• Decreased urine output
• General swelling

When gently pressing with the hand (palpation) on the chest, there may be a lift produced by the beating of the enlarged right ventricle. Similarly, there a pulse may be felt over the liver.  The liver and spleen may be enlarged.

Listening to the heart with a stethoscope shows a murmur or abnormal sounds. Ascites (collection of fluid in the abdomen associated with liver disorders) may be present.

An ECG or echocardiogram may show enlargement of the right side of the heart.

Doppler echocardiography or right-sided cardiac catheterization are used to measure blood pressures inside the heart and lung.

Review Date: 05/30/2006
Reviewed By: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.