What does it all mean?

[Sarah_Louise]

Hi everyone,
Hope your all well
Just looking at one of my outpatient letters from September, and it say:
"Right ventricular outflow tract obstuction as before, with a pulmonary valve peak valocity of 4.4, aortic valve reurgitation, and tricuspid valve regurgatation, with a peak valocity of 3.7.....blah blah blah"
I was just wondering do any of you know whats this peak valocity, and what are the number supposed to be?
Thank you!
Love Sarah xxxx

 

[Sarah_Louise]

Sorry to be annoying lol, but can anyone help?
Love Sarah xxx

 

[sarahsunshine]

Sorry, I'm no help!

 

[themalteser]

Hi Sarah,

I am not too sure of what the peak velocity normal range is for the pulmonary valve, but, for the aortic valve it is around 1.0m/s. if 4.4m/s is on the aortic valve, that means that the valve is severely stenotic (narrowed) . The peak velocity , i think is how long it takes for the blood to be pushed out the valve or strength of the blood that gets pushed out from the cusps of the valve, measured per second.

Your aortic and tricuspid valve are leaking, but this could be mild, perhaps you need to clarify with your cardiologist.

Best is to speak with your cardiologist and ask him to provide you with clarification.

Hope that I was of some help.

 

[Boston Tiger]

Sorry that I can't help, Sarah, but never was able to pick up on the interpretation of results like that. Medicalese is like Greek to me.

 

[dhudson]

I don't either Sarah, but I see my cardiologist this afternoon, so I' try and ask that question. enjoye the chat on friday, sorry i just dropped off, server kicked me off and i couldn't get back on. talk to you later.

 

[Sarah_Louise]

Thanks everyone,
dhudson, hope all went well

Hi Sarah,

I am not too sure of what the peak velocity normal range is for the pulmonary valve, but, for the aortic valve it is around 1.0m/s. if 4.4m/s is on the aortic valve, that means that the valve is severely stenotic (narrowed) . The peak velocity , i think is how long it takes for the blood to be pushed out the valve or strength of the blood that gets pushed out from the cusps of the valve, measured per second.

Your aortic and tricuspid valve are leaking, but this could be mild, perhaps you need to clarify with your cardiologist.

Best is to speak with your cardiologist and ask him to provide you with clarification.

Hope that I was of some help.

The 4.4 is my pulmonary valve, 3.7 was either my tricuspid valve oraortic valve, wasn't very clear which,
Thank you for helping me understand a bit more Back to see my doc 20th March so will ask then
Love Sarah xxxxx

 

[dhudson]

Sarah, ok got a chance to ask my cardiologist what the velocity number meant. All I could remember was your 3.7 velocity. He said that is a way of measuring pressures. He explained it like putting your thumb over the end of a hose and watching the velocity increase. The numbers are liters of flow. He got out a calculator and did some math. I think he squared the 3.7 then did another calculation, came up with with a figure, 50.something. Said that's kinda high and asked me if that was my numbers. Told him no, a friends. Anyway, he explained it tells him you vessles are narrowing which increases the velocity of your blood. I asked him if that was bad, he said, well it's not good, but not real bad yet. You should probably talk to your cardiologist to make sure I got this right. Hope this helps some Talk to you later Doug

 

[Sarah_Louise]

Thank you so much Doug!!
So i assume the 4.4 is high then, Will ask my doc next month,thanks again Doug!
Love Sarah xxx