|
Cardiac
Main Page
Aortic
regurgitation
Aortic
regurgitation results from abnormalities of the valve cusps or
aortic root preventing close apposition of the free margins of
the valve leaflets. Chronic regurgitation results in left ventricular
volume overload and progressive dilatation of the left ventricle.
Symptoms are of heart failure and angina.
Valvular
causes of aortic regurgitation include congenitally malformed
valve leaflets, infectious endocarditis, and connective tissue disorders. Aortic root
causes of aortic regurgitation include cystic medial necrosis,
Marfan's syndrome, aortic dissection, inflammatory diseases
and severe hypertension.
Color
doppler echocardiography,
and recently MRI, are used to detect the regurgitant
jet across the aortic valve. The aortic valve may show calcifications,
thickening, congenital deformity, vegetations, rupture, or prolapse.
The normal valve area is 3-4 cm2 in adults. The aortic root may
be dilated, have calcifications or evidence of dissection. If
the aortic root is dilated, evaluation of valve morphology is
important for determining if valve replacement is necessary when
surgery is performed.
Treatment
for aortic regurgitation due to aortic dissection requires surgery.
Infective endocarditis requires antibiotics
and may require surgery. Systemic hypertension is treated as it
exacerbates regurgitation. Valve replacement surgery is performed
in symptomatic patients with left ventricular dysfunction.
Source:
Zoghbi
WA, Afridi I.
Aortic Regurgitation. In: Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Cardiology,
2nd edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies.
|
