A

• A Wave – Atrial contraction wave seen in the JVP; occurs just before the first heart sound (S1).

• Absent A Wave – Seen in atrial fibrillation due to loss of organized atrial contraction.

• Abnormal JVP – Elevated JVP above 3-4 cm above the sternal angle indicates raised right atrial pressure.

C

• C Wave – Corresponds to bulging of the tricuspid valve into the right atrium during ventricular contraction (systole).

• CVP (Central Venous Pressure) – Direct pressure measurement in the right atrium or vena cava, correlates with JVP.

E

• E Wave – Reflects passive filling of the right atrium from the vena cava after tricuspid valve opens.

H

• Hepatojugular Reflux (Abdominojugular Test) – Compression of the liver causing increased jugular venous pressure; indicates right heart failure.

I

• Inverted Y Descent – Slow or absent descent seen in tricuspid stenosis or constrictive pericarditis.

• Internal Jugular Vein – Main vein observed during JVP assessment; lies deep to the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

J

• Jugular Venous Pressure (JVP) – Indirect measure of right atrial pressure assessed by observing the height of pulsations in the neck veins.

M

• Mean Right Atrial Pressure – Reflected by the JVP; normal is 3–8 cm H2O above the right atrium (or 6-8 cm H2O above the sternal angle).

P

• Prominent A Wave – Large “a” wave seen in conditions with increased resistance to right atrial emptying such as tricuspid stenosis or pulmonary hypertension.

• Pulse Waveform – Characteristic waveform of JVP consisting of a, c, and v waves, and x and y descents.

R

• Rapid Y Descent – Seen in constrictive pericarditis and severe tricuspid regurgitation; rapid fall in JVP after the v wave.

• Regurgitant V Wave – Large v wave due to tricuspid regurgitation.

S

• S Wave – Not typically described in JVP; more common in venous Doppler waveforms.

• Sternal Angle (Angle of Louis) – Landmark used to measure JVP; jugular venous pulsations are measured vertically from this point.

T

• Tricuspid Regurgitation – Causes large, prominent v waves in the JVP.

• Tricuspid Stenosis – Results in large a waves and slow y descent.

V

• V Wave – Venous filling wave during systole, when the right atrium fills against a closed tricuspid valve.

• Visible Venous Pulsations – Observed in the neck veins and used to estimate JVP.

X and Y Descents

• X Descent – Downward deflection of JVP caused by atrial relaxation and downward displacement of tricuspid valve during ventricular systole.

• Y Descent – Downward deflection caused by rapid ventricular filling following the opening of the tricuspid valve.