Patient was educated on pulmonary regurgitation and its pathophysiology as follows:
- A normal functioning pulmonary valve closes completely, when the right ventricle relaxes and gets filled with blood from right atrium. Complete closure of pulmonary valve prevents any back flow of blood from the pulmonary arteries into right ventricle.
- Pulmonary regurgitation is an abnormal condition of incomplete closing of the pulmonary valve, when the right ventricle relaxes. This results in back flow of deoxygenated/venous blood from the pulmonary arteries into the right ventricle.
- Back flow of blood into the right ventricle from the pulmonary arteries reduces the volume of deoxygenated blood pumped into the lungs for oxygen pick-up.
- This results in reduced volume of oxygenated blood and consequently, results in compromised blood and oxygen supply to the vital organs, thus affecting their function.
- Progressive back-up of blood into the right ventricle results in backing up of blood on the right side of heart.
- Backing up of blood on the right side of heart can result in increased blood volume and pressure on the right side of heart. Over a period of time, this increased volume and pressure on right side of heart can result in enlargement of the right side of heart, progressive weakening of the heart muscle, and right heart failure.
