Tricuspid Insufficiency Murmur

Amara H. Estrada, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), University of Florida

ArticleSeptember 20141 min read
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A grade 2/6 systolic murmur (auscultated over the tricuspid valve area) is heard in this heart sound; it is plateau (band shaped) and occurs throughout systole, making it difficult to identify S1 or S2 sounds.

Tricuspid insufficiency murmur sounds similar to the murmur of mitral insufficiency, and it is loudest over the right apex (tricuspid valve area). The tricuspid murmur might be a different pitch compared with a radiating mitral murmur; it can be accompanied by jugular pulsations.

Tricuspid insufficiency can be the result of:

  • Congenital malformations of the valve

  • Acquired or congenital diseases that cause marked right heart enlargement

  • Valve annulus distention (eg, pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy)

  • Chronic degenerative valve disease