mild pulmonary regurgitation

my 18 months old boy had a slight heart murmur .The cardiologist told us that he has mild case of pulmonary regurgitation but his valves thickness and all are normal.I just wanted to know that whether this condition will go awaywith time or will it worsen?My kid is really active .his diet is ok.The doctor has asked us to have a follow up after a year.

[Marie M Gleason, M.D.]

Heart murmurs are common in children of all ages.  It sounds like your doctor arranged for an echocardiogram that looks at the structure and function of the heart.  Pulmonary valve regurgitation is a slight leak of the pulmonary valve that is very commonly seen in children and usually is not pathologic.  If the valve is not thickened or blocked, this valve leakage is unlikely to progress or cause any clinical symptoms. Ask your doctor if they are calling your son's heart murmur "innocent".  This is the most common type of murmur and is not even related to the mild valve leakage, which is an incidental finding on the echocardiogram.  Of note, the tricuspid valve also commonly leaks during childhood and is not considered pathologic.