PULMONIC REGURGITATION

Course overview

PULMONIC REGURGITATION (PR) IS MOST COMMONLY SEEN SECONDARY TO VARIOUS ETIOLOGIES CAUSING PULMONARY HYPERTENSION. IT ALSO APPEARS IN POST VALVOTOMY PATIENTS. THE CLINICAL PICTURE IS DOMINATED BY PRIMARY LUNG DISEASE IN MOST CASES, AND WITH DISEASE PROGRESSION, EXERTIONAL DYSPNEA FATIGUE, AND LOWER EXTREMITY SWELLING MAY BE REPORTED. THE CLASSIC MURMUR OF PR-GRAHAM STEELL MURMUR IS HEARD WHEN SYSTOLIC PULMONARY PRESSURE EXCEEDS 55 MMHG. COMMONLY SEEN EKG FINDINGS INCLUDE TALL P WAVES INDICATING RIGHT ATRIAL ENLARGEMENT SECONDARY TO PULMONARY HYPERTENSION. DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IS EXTREMELY ACCURATE IN DETECTING PR. THE MOST CRUCIAL ASPECT OF MANAGEMENT IS TREATING THE PRIMARY CONDITION. VALVE REPLACEMENT MAY BE NECESSARY AT TIMES. THE PROGNOSIS OF THIS CONDITION DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY OF PR. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PULMONIC REGURGITATION (PR) AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.