Expert Treatment for Tricuspid Valve Disease
The tricuspid valve has three small tissue flaps that control blood flow between the right atrium and ventricle of the heart. If it becomes diseased or damaged, regurgitation or stenosis may develop. Regurgitation occurs when blood flows backwards from the ventricle to the atrium. Stenosis is a narrowing or obstruction of the valve that restricts blood flow out of the atrium.
It’s important to treat tricuspid valve disease, because it can lead to complications such as too little oxygen in your blood or an enlarged or weakened right ventricle. If you are interested in treating tricuspid valve disease in the Bay Area, Find a Doctor online at Dignity Health. We are dedicated to treating the whole person, not just the disease, and provide the personal cardiac care you deserve.
Tricuspid Valve Disease Symptoms
For some, tricuspid valve disease may not produce any symptoms. Doctors may diagnose tricuspid valve disease after hearing a certain abnormal sound while listening to your heart through a stethoscope.
The symptoms of advanced-stage tricuspid valve disease can include:
- Reduced urine output due to fluid retention
- Swelling of the feet or legs
- Unexplained fatigue
- Visible pulsing of the neck veins, even while you are at rest
Causes of Tricuspid Valve Disease
Tricuspid regurgitation is often caused by underlying conditions that increase blood pressure in the pulmonary artery (called pulmonary hypertension) or in the right side of the heart. Most cases of tricuspid stenosis are caused by rheumatic fever.
Treatment & Prevention for Tricuspid Valve Disease
Our expert treatment of tricuspid valve disease generally aims to reduce symptoms and restore heart valve function. Mild to moderate tricuspid valve disease may not require any treatment. Your Dignity Health doctor may recommend a “watchful waiting” approach to track your progress.
In other cases, treatment of tricuspid valve disease may include:
- Medications to treat symptoms such as fluid retention
- Valve repair surgery
- Valve replacement surgery
You can reduce your risk of developing tricuspid regurgitation by getting regular checkups to make sure you don’t have any underlying health concerns that can cause malfunction in the tricuspid valve.
You can prevent tricuspid stenosis by promptly treating strep infections so they do not progress to rheumatic fever.
When you need treatment for heart valve disease, including tricuspid valve disease, you can trust the cardiac team at Dignity Health to treat you with respect and humankindness.
Dignity Health diagnoses and treats tricuspid valve disease in the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Redwood City.