Jugular Venous Distention (JVD)

1st grade: fills 2 cm.

2nd grade: filling of the inferior half of the traject between the jaw and clavicle.

3rd grade: filling of the whole traject.

4th grade: filling more than 1cm postauricular.

JVD indicates obstruction of the venous return, this may be caused by: heart failure, tricuspid incompetence, cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis, etc.