Medical Disclaimer: This is educational content only, not medical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare provider for diagnosis/treatment. Information based on sources like WHO/CDC guidelines (last reviewed: 2026-02-13).
Medical Disclaimer: This is educational content only, not medical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare provider for diagnosis/treatment. Information based on sources like WHO/CDC guidelines (last reviewed: 2026-02-13).
Right-sided heart murmurs originate from the tricuspid or pulmonary valves and include tricuspid stenosis, tricuspid regurgitation, pulmonary stenosis, and pulmonary regurgitation. They characteristically become louder with inspiration due to increased venous return to the right heart.
Tricuspid regurgitation, tricuspid stenosis, pulmonary stenosis, and pulmonary regurgitation typically increase with inspiration. This phenomenon is known as Carvallo sign and helps differentiate right-sided from left-sided murmurs.
Tricuspid regurgitation produces a holosystolic murmur best heard at the left lower sternal border that becomes louder with inspiration and may be associated with prominent V waves in the jugular venous pulse.
Tricuspid stenosis murmur is a low-pitched mid-diastolic murmur heard best at the left lower sternal border and increases with inspiration, whereas mitral stenosis is best heard at the apex and is louder during expiration.
Pulmonary stenosis murmur is caused by obstruction to right ventricular outflow, producing an ejection systolic crescendo–decrescendo murmur at the left upper sternal border, often with an ejection click.
Graham Steell murmur is a high-pitched early diastolic murmur of pulmonary regurgitation caused by severe pulmonary hypertension and is best heard at the left upper sternal border.
Tricuspid regurgitation is most commonly associated with intravenous drug use due to infective endocarditis affecting the tricuspid valve.
Tricuspid regurgitation is associated with prominent V waves in the jugular venous pulse due to systolic backflow of blood into the right atrium.
Presystolic accentuation disappears in atrial fibrillation because it depends on atrial contraction, which is absent in atrial fibrillation.
Pulmonary valve replacement, either surgical or transcatheter, is the definitive treatment for severe pulmonary regurgitation associated with right ventricular dilation or dysfunction.
Carcinoid syndrome most commonly affects the tricuspid valve, leading to tricuspid regurgitation due to fibrotic plaque deposition.
Tricuspid regurgitation murmur increases with inspiration, whereas the murmur of ventricular septal defect does not show inspiratory augmentation.
Pulmonary regurgitation is common after Tetralogy of Fallot repair and presents as an early diastolic decrescendo murmur at the left upper sternal border.
Rheumatic heart disease is the most common cause of tricuspid stenosis worldwide, often occurring in association with mitral stenosis.
Diastolic murmurs almost always indicate structural heart disease because normal blood flow during diastole does not usually produce audible turbulence.