PULMONARY VALVE REGURGITATION

Pulmonary regurgitation (PR, also called pulmonic regurgitation) is a leaky pulmonary valve. This valve helps control the flow of blood passing from the right ventricle to the lungs. A leaky pulmonary valve allows blood to flow back into the heart chamber before it gets to the lungs for oxygen.

What causes pulmonary regurgitation?

The most common causes for a leaky pulmonary valve is pulmonary hypertension.

Less common causes are:

Infective endocarditis
Complications after surgery.
Carcinoid syndrome
Rheumatic fever.

What are the symptoms of pulmonary regurgitation?

There are usually no noticeable early symptoms. Signs that can be detected during a medical exam include a heart murmur.

Eventually, the right ventricle can become enlarged. Rarely, these conditions can progress to heart failure, which can create more noticeable symptoms such as chest pain or discomfort, fatigue, light headedness or fainting.