An Issue of The Heart

Alex Rust
Bio 1010
Presentation Paper
November 29, 2015
An Issue of the Heart
The human heart is made up of four chambers: two left and right atria, located at the top
of the heart; and two left and right ventricles, located at the bottom of the heart (Figure 1). As
blood flows through the atria to the ventricles, it passes through valves. The valve between the
right atrium and right ventricle is known as the tricuspid valve.
Figure 1: Anatomy of the Human Heart

Reference: www.starsandseas.com
In this paper, I will discuss a disease of the heart involving the tricuspid valve known as
tricuspid valve regurgitation. I will discuss what this disease is, what causes this condition, the
symptoms, complications, treatment and prognosis.
What is Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation?
Tricuspid valve regurgitation is a disorder that causes the hearts tricuspid valve to not
close tight enough when pushing blood from the top right atrium to the bottom right ventricle.
Therefore this causes the backward flow of blood, or regurgitation, into the upper right chamber,
or atrium, when the lower right chamber, or ventricle, contracts. Figure 2 shows the difference
between the normal flow of blood through the heart compared to valve regurgitation.
Figure 2: Normal flow vs. Regurgitation
Reference: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus
Causes
There are many issues that lead up to tricuspid valve regurgitation. In some cases, the
right ventricle may bulge, causing it to not work properly. COPD is also another cause, which
makes the lung become inflamed because of the blood pressure buildup in the lungs. Rheumatic
fever, which is caused by a severe strep infection left untreated, is also another cause of this
disease. Also, the tricuspid valve can become infected from the backward movement of blood,
increasing the severity of this disease.
Carcinoid syndrome, or tumors in the digestive system and lungs, can lead to tricuspid
valve regurgitation. Blunt trauma in the chest can also cause tricuspid valve regurgitation and is
usually from a car wreck or a severe chest injury. Congenital heart defects, such as Marfan
Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder, can cause tricuspid valve swelling. This condition is
seen at birth and leads to tricuspid valve regurgitation. Another congenital heart defect, such as
Ebsteins Anomaly, can lead to this heart condition. In this congenital heart defect, the tricuspid
valve is lower than normal and leads to regurgitation to the right atrium, causing damage over
time. Medications can also cause tricuspid valve regurgitation, such as fenfluramine and
ergotamine. These drugs have been discontinued from the market because it has been found to
increase the risk for the disease.
Risk factors for people who may get the disease are people who usually have heart
disease, and those who have had previous heart attacks or heart failure. People with high blood
pressure can usually contract tricuspid regurgitation, most common is pulmonary hypertension.
Those who receive radiation in the chest can usually contract the disease, because the radiation
will damage the tricuspid valve.
Symptoms
The symptoms of tricuspid valve regurgitation are active pulsing in the neck, which are
huge pulses in the neck from the main artery. They can cause really gruesome neck vibrations
that make it look like there is a heart in that location of the body. Decreased urine output can be a
symptom for people, as well as weakness of the body. Feet and ankles can also become swollen.
Also, patients with tricuspid valve regurgitation will experience fatigue and tiredness throughout
the body, with a feeling of being absolutely drained in the body.
Complications
Complications can usually cause the right ventricle to increase in size over time. This
can cause heart failure and the patient will die. Another complication is a common heart rhythm
disorder that can occur known as atrial fibrillation. This is a disorder where the heart beats off
rhythm. Also, increased swelling throughout the body will occur. Finally, severe valve damage
will occur as well, as the disease progresses.
Treatment and Prognosis
Treatment for symptoms of tricuspid valve regurgitation involves taking diuretics to
control the swelling in the body. People who want to prevent damage of the tricuspid valve
should avoid unclean injections. When patients with this condition contract any infection, it is
important that they are started on antibiotics to prevent further damage of the heart valve, caused
by any infection in the body. Another treatment for the tricuspid valve is usually surgery to fix or
replace the valve in order to cure the heart of the disease. If the valve is poor, surgery to repair it
is usually not an option - the valve must be replaced. The prognosis is usually good if the
replacement valve or repair remains healthy. Living with tricuspid valve regurgitation can be a
challenge, but once its diagnosed, the patient will need to take precautions in order to prevent
further damage of the tricuspid valve.
In conclusion, I have chosen this biology topic because it relates to my life. At the end of
her twin pregnancy with my sisters, my mother started fainting and experienced a high heart rate.
After having the babies, she experienced fatigue, weakness, and continued to have a high heart
rate, usually between 140-200 beats per minute. She went through many medical tests and the
doctor told her that this disease was caused by the increased blood volume (70%) during the twin
pregnancy. Her heart had to work a lot harder to accommodate this increased blood volume. My
mother is doing fine, as it is just a mild case of tricuspid valve regurgitation. But, as you can see,
if it is not taken care of, it can cause life threatening situations for any individual with the
disease. Because she knows what can happen with the disease, she is vigilant in preventing any
further damage to her heart valve. She makes sure to get lots of exercise to strengthen her heart,
and get on antibiotics with any threat of infection to her body.
References
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000169.htm
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/HeartValveProblemsandDisease/ProblemTricuspid-Valve-Regurgitation_UCM_450617_Article.jsp#.VlJEM-J0o00
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tricuspid-valve-regurgitation/symptomscauses/dxc-20120490
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA0Wb3gc4mE
http://watchlearnlive.heart.org/CVML_Player.php?moduleSelect=prolap
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Alex Rust

Figure 1: Anatomy of the Human Heart

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