Failure of the tricuspid valve in the heart to close fully, thus permitting blood to leak back into the right atrium during contractions of the right ventricle. This reduces the heart’s pumping efficiency, and right-sided heart failure usually results. Treatment for heart failure (using diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors) usually restores function, but sometimes heart surgery is required to repair or replace the defective valve.
When the tricuspid valve of the heart fails to close completely, it permits the backward leakage of blood into the right atrium (upper chamber) during the contraction of the right ventricle (lower chamber). This condition, referred to as tricuspid incompetence or tricuspid insufficiency, diminishes the heart’s effectiveness in pumping blood.
Typically, the underlying factor is pulmonary hypertension, characterized by elevated pressure in the blood vessels supplying the lungs. In rarer cases, it can stem from complications related to rheumatic fever, or, among individuals who use intravenous drugs, bacterial infection of the heart.
Tricuspid insufficiency leads to manifestations of right-sided heart failure, prominently including the accumulation of fluid, or edema, in the ankles and abdomen. The liver becomes enlarged and sensitive, while the veins in the neck become visibly swollen.
Diagnosis is established by observing the symptoms, detecting a heart murmur through a stethoscope, and conducting various tests such as an ECG, chest X-rays, echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization. Treatment often involves the use of diuretic medications and ACE inhibitors, which frequently alleviate the symptoms.