Pulmonary Regurgitation
Also known as: PR, pulmonic regurgitation, pulmonary incompetence, pulmonary insufficiency.
What is Pulmonary Regurgitation?
The pulmonary valve controls the flow of blood from the heart out to the lungs. When this valve leaks, it allows blood to flow backward into the heart before it can travel to the lungs. This leak is known as pulmonary regurgitation and it can be categorized as mild, moderate or severe.
What causes pulmonary regurgitation?
It is also often a complication of other heart problems, such as congenital heart disease, rheumatic fever, infective endocarditis, pulmonary hypertension and others.
What are the symptoms of pulmonary regurgitation?
Early on there may be no symptoms, however on examination a sound (called a murmur ) may be heard between heart beats. As the condition progresses heart fatigue, lightheadedness, fainting and chest pain can occur.
What are pulmonary regurgitation care options?
Treatments are usually directed to the underlying cause. As pulmonary regurgitation is often related to pulmonary hypertension, medications that help with pulmonary hypertension will also improve the problems with the pulmonary valve. In some cases, surgery to repair the valve might be needed.
Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP
This page was last updated on: March 18, 2026 03:41 PM
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The First Pulmonary Ozaki in Florida and Among the First in the Nation, done at Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute: Meet Victoria
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Learn more about
Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic fever is a disease caused by the body's inflammatory response to a bacterial infection caused by a group A streptococcus bacterial infection of the throat.
Congenital Heart Defects/Disease
Any unusual physical feature or health problem that is present at the birth of a baby is known as a birth defect or a congenital anomaly.
Ross Procedure
Ross procedure is a surgery to repair a damaged aortic valve. The aortic valve is responsible for pumping blood from the heart out to the body.
Heart Valve Replacement Surgery
Heart valve surgery is used to repair or replace damaged or diseased heart valves. A common precursor to heart valve surgery is heart valve disease, which happens when a heart valve does not close completely, which can cause blood to flow backwards, limit blood flowing forward, cause chest pains, shortness of breath, fainting, or heart failure.