When i went to the cardiologist a few months ago, i remember him saying that my pulmonary and tricuspid valve were leaky, and i think he said they were a 1 on a scale of 1 to 4 which is minor and of no concern. but i have valve problems in my family and i got thining about it. anybody know what this scale is called/have more info or was it something he just made up to tell me that it was minor?
I have a leaky mitral valve. Yes, the degree of regurgitation is usually assessed by echocardiogram and is graded on a level of 1 to 4 or + to ++++ with 1 being minor and 4 being quite severe. Generally, surgery isn't required unless you are in the 3-4 range, but everyone is different. In ten years, mine hasn't progressed any, so hopefully you will have the same luck.
Initial auscultation of your heart sounds can determine the presence of murmurs which are indications that valves are not closing properly (leaking) and allowing the heart chambers to fill and empty properly. Usually once murmurs are detected, an echocardiogram is done to visualize the valve function. From this test gradients can be determined to assess individual valve functions. The higher the gradient (it's a calculation based on blood flow and pressure across the valve leaflets) the worse the valve function. Mild gradients are not considered serious and are usually just monitored with your regular checkups to see if they are worsening. Serious gradients indicate poor valve function and are usually corrected with either valvuloplasty or valve replacement. Serious valve impairment also has associated heart symptoms such as congestive heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, arrythmias, and poor ejection fractions-to name a few. Regular follow-up is suggested with your cardiologist to monitor any potential deterioration in your valve functions. Meds are often used to treat the symptoms of poor valve function not to cure your valves. Once damaged, heart valves do not repair themselves. The aim is to reduce the workload put on the valves and prevent their function from declining further. Hope this helps.
