Vascular regurgitation or vascular insufficiency is a problem in which a heart valve does not close properly. The blood can flow back into the heart.
Vascular regurgitation or vascular insufficiency is a problem in which a heart valve does not close properly. The blood can flow back into the heart.
It heart is a contracting muscle that pumps blood to all parts of the body. In the heart, four valves open and close in precise regularity and sequence, ensuring that blood flows in the right direction. Sometimes a misshapen or damaged valve cannot close properly, allowing blood to flow back. That problem is called vascular regurgitation or vascular insufficiency.
In a healthy heart two valves control blood flow from the upper cavities – the atria or atria – to the lower cavities – the chambers or ventricles. The other two valves control blood flow from the ventricles to the lungs and the rest of the body.
The mitral valve supplies oxygenated blood from the left atrium to the left ventricle. The ventricle continues to pump blood through the aortic valve to the circulatory system, which serves the entire body. Deoxygenated blood flows from the right atrium through the tricuspid valve to the right ventricle. From there, the blood is pumped through the pulmonary valve to the lungs, where it absorbs fresh oxygen.
The two atrioventricular valves, the mitral valve and the tricuspid valve, are connected to the ventricles by thin, fibrous strands called the chordae tendineae. The chordae tendineae, together with the muscles of the heart wall, hold the so-called cusps of each valve in place. When the ventricles contract, variations in pressure in the valves cause the cusps of the mitral and tricuspid valves to close.
If there is not enough tension on the chordae tendineae, the cusps will not close properly and blood may flow back. In this example, the mitral valve cusps have prolapsed or are unable to close properly. This causes blood to leak from the ventricle back into the left atrium.
The valves of the lower two cavities, the pulmonary valve and the aortic valve, open and close under the influence of pressure variations due to the contraction of the atria and ventricles. These valves are also susceptible to damage or disease, causing them to fail to close properly, resulting in blood leakage.
Because blood leaks into the heart, less oxygen-rich blood flows through the body, forcing the heart to work harder. If left untreated, vascular regurgitation can lead to heart or heart valve damage.
