Aa
Right side heart valves slower?
I went to the cardiologist today for a checkup. I had an echo done 3 months ago. It showed diastolic dysfunction, and trace regurgitation in the mitral valve and tricuspid.
Today I had an EKG done . the doctor said the only thing it showed was that the valves on the right side of the heart were slower. Which he said didn't cause any problems. I looked up the right side valves and it showed they were the mitral and tricuspid. But what exactly does it mean they are slow? Does that have to do with the regurgitation?
Today I had an EKG done . the doctor said the only thing it showed was that the valves on the right side of the heart were slower. Which he said didn't cause any problems. I looked up the right side valves and it showed they were the mitral and tricuspid. But what exactly does it mean they are slow? Does that have to do with the regurgitation?
I saw an endocrinologist about my thyroid. My thyroid functions are normal. So, I'm just very confused as to what caused this diastolic dysfunction since I don't seem to have any of the causes for it. I'm going to hope it was just a mistake on the echo.
I go back to the cardiologist in four months. I'm going to see if I can get another echo sometime soon.
Yes I go back to see him in 4 months, I'm going to see what I can do about getting another echo.
The filling of the left ventricle goes in two steps. In the early step, the weight of the blood causes to fill the left ventricle from the left atrium. In the second step, the left atrium squeezes out the last bit of blood into the left ventricle.
The speed at which this happens is called "E"in the first step and "A" in the second step.
In a healthy heart E is bigger than A so the ratio E/A is >1.
When E/A is below 0.75, this is often accepted as a marker of diastolic dysfunction. There are however other parameters that have to be taken into account to conclude that there is diastolic dysfunction.
Sometimes doppler images are not so good and that can result in less reliable results.
Your cardiologist takes all his observations and all (not just a single isolated) parameters that are measured with the echo into account, and draws his conclusion then.
I also have had some weird doppler measurements that got me alarmed and that did not alarm my cardiologist very much. One year later everything was back to normal again.
Perhaps you can ask him for a repeat echo in 1 year?
The speed at which this happens is called "E"in the first step and "A" in the second step.
In a healthy heart E is bigger than A so the ratio E/A is >1.
When E/A is below 0.75, this is often accepted as a marker of diastolic dysfunction. There are however other parameters that have to be taken into account to conclude that there is diastolic dysfunction.
Sometimes doppler images are not so good and that can result in less reliable results.
Your cardiologist takes all his observations and all (not just a single isolated) parameters that are measured with the echo into account, and draws his conclusion then.
I also have had some weird doppler measurements that got me alarmed and that did not alarm my cardiologist very much. One year later everything was back to normal again.
Perhaps you can ask him for a repeat echo in 1 year?
That's what I've been trying to get my doctors to do. I want to find out the underlying cause. So far my blood tests all cone back normal. Besides low vitamin d and low potassium. My thyroid labs are in range.although I do have a goiter that was found on a thyroid ultrasound. And I'm seeing an endocrinologist in May.
My blood pressure is normal. My doctor said I don't have hypertension, my bp is usually lower, around 112/75 , 120/80.
I'm not sure what else could be causing the diastolic dysfunction. I hear it usually is hypertension that causes it.
My blood pressure is normal. My doctor said I don't have hypertension, my bp is usually lower, around 112/75 , 120/80.
I'm not sure what else could be causing the diastolic dysfunction. I hear it usually is hypertension that causes it.
There are grades in dysfunction. There is of course a big difference between very mild and severe dysfunction.
It is often without symptoms but it can become more serious and lead to CHF. It normally is treated by managing the underlying condition (for instance high blood pressure).
Diastolic dysfunction is an important condition that, at the very least, should prompt a careful search for underlying causes.
It is often without symptoms but it can become more serious and lead to CHF. It normally is treated by managing the underlying condition (for instance high blood pressure).
Diastolic dysfunction is an important condition that, at the very least, should prompt a careful search for underlying causes.
Yes , its more information than I had. Does this seem like it could be a serious problem or become a serious problem? Does it cause any symptoms that you know of?
Your heart has a left and a right side. On the right side are located the tricuspid and the pulmonary valve, on the left side are the mitral and the aortic valve.
Valves can not move by themselves, but there are opened and closed by the pressures that work on them from both sides. Also the thickness of the valve leaflets play a role in the agility of its movement.
The pressures that open and close the valves are build up by the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle. Diastolic dysfunction somewhat influences the pressures and so can influence the speed at which left and right heart valves open and close.
Your regurgitation is very little (trace) and therefore will hardly influence the speed of opening/closing of your valves.
Does this help you a little?
Valves can not move by themselves, but there are opened and closed by the pressures that work on them from both sides. Also the thickness of the valve leaflets play a role in the agility of its movement.
The pressures that open and close the valves are build up by the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle. Diastolic dysfunction somewhat influences the pressures and so can influence the speed at which left and right heart valves open and close.
Your regurgitation is very little (trace) and therefore will hardly influence the speed of opening/closing of your valves.
Does this help you a little?
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