Aortic Regurgitation

Aortic regurgitation is a cardiovascular disease which can be acute as well as chronic. Aortic regurgitation has different causes. It remains asymptomatic for years but in the decompensated phase of disease, patient’s health status starts deteriorating towards ill health continuously.

Causes-

The different causes of aortic regurgitation are as follow-

1.      Injury.
2.      Rheumatic fever.
3.      Infective endocarditis.
4.      Dissecting aneurysm.
5.      Bicuspid aortic valve disease.
6.      Atherosclerotic aortic valve disease.
7.      Ventricular septal defect.
8.      Aneurysm of aorta.
9.      Severe hypertension.
10.  Systemic lupus erythematosus.

Symptoms-

1.      Initially asymptomatic, but in later stages of disease patient starts progressing towards deterioration.
2.      Palpitation, angina.
3.      Difficulty in breathing on exertion, orthopnoea.
4.      Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea.
5.      Syncope.
6.      Right ventricular failure.
7.      Collapsing pulse, pulsus bisferiens.
8.      Prominent neck pulsations.
9.      Early diastolic murmur, ejection systolic murmur, austin flint murmur.

Investigations-

1.      Rheumatoid factor test.
2.      ESR, CRP test.
3.      ECG test.
4.      Chest x-ray.
5.      Echocardiography.
6.      Doppler echocardiography.
7.      Cardiac catheterisation.
8.      Coronary angiography.


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