Episode 26 – Heart Chambers and Valves

Watch the video version of this Q&A episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/YBVcQH3U7pY 

An entry in the medical record indicates that a patient is experiencing tricuspid valve regurgitation. Which location would have increased blood volume based on the valvular pathology?

1. Left atrium
2. Right atrium
3. Left ventricle
4. Right ventricle

Welcome back to the Scorebuilders’ Question and Answer Podcast! This podcast provides members of the Scorebuilders’ team with the opportunity to explore challenging multiple-choice examination questions with students actively preparing for the licensing examination. My name is Scott Giles and I will be your host for today’s journey.

Ready? Let’s go!

An entry in the medical record indicates that a patient is experiencing tricuspid valve regurgitation. Which location would have increased blood volume based on the valvular pathology?

1. Left atrium
2. Right atrium
3. Left ventricle
4. Right ventricle

There are certain topics that you simply have to be ready for on a licensing examination and trust me – heart chambers and valves falls into this category. Missing questions like this today is perfectly fine, but missing questions like this on the licensing examination is potentially catastrophic. Why am I sounding as dramatic as Mariah Carey, because this is PT 101, bread and butter foundational information.

Information like this will be encountered numerous times throughout the academic review process (e.g., review book, Basecamp, sample exams). When this information is encountered on the licensing examination, it is time to feast!

I am confident that you have a solid understanding of cardiac anatomy. If you’re a little foggy, no worries since you once knew the heart chambers and valves incredibly well which means that a quick review will put this information right back on the front burner!

Cardiac Anatomy
During systole of the right and left atria, blood passes through the tricuspid valve and the mitral valve, respectively. During ventricular systole, the valves close to prevent blood from flowing backwards into the atria. 

Let’s explore each of the options:

Option 1 - Left atrium
An increased volume of blood in the left atrium is often associated with mitral valve regurgitation. The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and left ventricle. As the left ventricle contracts, some blood leaks backwards into the left atrium, which increases the volume of blood in the left atrium and diminishes blood flow to the rest of the body. The increased blood pressure in the left atrium can increase pressure in the pulmonary veins and may also lead to atrial fibrillation.

Option 2 - Right atrium
An increased volume of blood in the right atrium is often associated with tricuspid valve regurgitation. The tricuspid valve is located between the right atrium and right ventricle. As the right ventricle contracts, some blood leaks backwards into the right atrium, which increases the volume of blood in the right atrium. This increase in volume enlarges the right atrium, which can change the pressure in the nearby chambers and blood vessels.

Option 3 - Left ventricle
An increased volume of blood in the left ventricle is often associated with aortic valve regurgitation. The aortic valve is located between the left ventricle and the aorta. As the volume and pressure of the blood in the left ventricle increases, ventricular walls often show evidence of hypertrophy and become less efficient.

Option 4 - Right ventricle
An increased volume of blood in the right ventricle is often associated with pulmonary valve regurgitation. The pulmonary valve is located between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery. The condition is most often associated with pulmonary hypertension or tetralogy of Fallot.

The correct answer is Option 2

Let’s explore the all student data:
13% of students selected Option 1 - Left atrium
70% of students selected Option 2 Right atrium - the correct response
6% of students selected Option 3 - Left ventricle
11% of students selected Option 4 - Right ventricle

System Classification
This question is a Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Systems question which represents approximately 14% of all exam items.

Content Outline Classification
This question is a Foundations for Evaluation, Differential Diagnosis, and Prognosis question which represents approximately 33% of all exam items.

Level Classification
This question is a Level 1 question since the question requires students to possess basic foundational academic knowledge. Remediation of Level 1 questions occurs through academic review of entry-level content using textbooks, review books, Basecamp, and flash cards.

Academic Focus Area
Looking to review related academic content? Check out pages 401-402, 415 in PTEXAM: The Complete Study Guide.

Thanks for joining us on the Scorebuilders Q and A podcast! See you next week!