This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Missri, J. Articles by Sverrisson, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Missri, J. Articles by Sverrisson, J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Clinical Spectrum of Tricuspid Regurgitation Detected by Pulsed Doppler Echocardiography

St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Uggi Agnarsson

St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Jon Sverrisson

St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

The clinical diagnosis of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is often difficult. Two- dimensional pulsed Doppler echocardiography offers a sensitive and specific method for detecting and semi-quantitating tricuspid regurgitation. The clini cal, radiographic, radionuclide, echocardiographic, and when available, the right cardiac catheterization findings were evaluated in 36 patients with a diag nosis of tricuspid regurgitation by pulsed Doppler. Ten healthy subjects served as controls. The underlying cardiac cause was rheumatic heart disease in 7 (20%), ischemic heart disease in 12 (33%), dilated cardiomyopathy in 5 (14%), hypertensive heart disease in 2 (5%), aortic valve stenosis and/or regurgitation in 3 (8%), mitral valve prolapse with mitral regurgitation in 1 (3%), and con genital heart disease in 6 (17%). Seven patients (19%) had a temporary or per manent transvenous right ventricular pacing wire. A systolic murmur was heard in 29 patients (81%) with 16 (46%) having an elevated jugular venous pressure. Tricuspid regurgitation was clinically suspected in only 2 patients (6%). Isolated tricuspid regurgitation was uncommon, seen in 6 patients (17%), and usually secondary to congenital heart disease, ischemic heart disease, with the use of a transvenous pacing wire and following mitral valve replacement. Right cardiac catheterization was performed in 10 patients, of which 7 demon strated elevated right atrial and pulmonary artery pressure.

Pulsed Doppler echocardiography offers a practical and accurate method of detecting and evaluating the severity of tricuspid regurgitation. Tricuspid re gurgitation is generally a functional disorder, and frequently occurs in associa tion with left sided valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy or congenital heart disease.

Angiology, Vol. 36, No. 10, 746-753 (1985)
DOI: 10.1177/000331978503601006


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?