Aortic regurgitation (AR) is a condition where the aortic valve fails to close properly, causing blood to flow back into the left ventricle during diastole, leading to increased cardiac workload and potential heart failure. Symptoms include dyspnea, palpitations, and chest pain, with the majority of cases being idiopathic but also linked to factors such as aging and aortic dissection. Diagnosis typically involves echocardiography and supporting tests like chest X-rays and ECGs to assess severity and heart function.

1. Aortic regurgitation
Done by : noel Christian

2. Definition
• Aortic Regurgitation (AR), is due to damage or dysfunction of the aortic valve
of the heart that causes blood to flow in the reverse direction during
ventricular diastole, from the aorta into the left ventricle. As a consequence
the cardiac muscle is forced to work harder than normal.

4. Signs and symptoms
• Symptoms of aortic insufficiency are:
1) Dyspnea on exertion
2) Orthopnea
3) Palpitations
4) Chest pain
5) Cyanosis (in acute cases)
• In the long run, blood can accumulate the left atrium and cause congestion in
the lungs then after years there can be congestion in the right atrium.

5. causes
• Over 80% of cases are idiopathic, but otherwise may result from
1) Aging
2) Aortic dissection
3) Reactive arthritis
4) Systemic hypertension
5) Infective endocarditis
• Other Genetic dispositions.
• Left Ventricular Heart Failure due to AR, due to congestion in the lungs,
right ventricle becomes dilated called Biventricular or globular heart failure and patient
will require transplantation.

6. Pathophysiology
• The mechanism of aortic regurgitation (AR), comprises the pressure in the left
ventricle decreases below the pressure in the aorta, the aortic valve is not able to
completely close. This causes a leaking of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle.
This means that some of the blood that was already ejected from the heart
is regurgitating back into the heart.
• This regurgitant flow causes a decrease in the diastolic blood pressure in the
aorta, and therefore an increase in the pulse pressure. Since some of the blood
that is ejected during systole, regurgitates back into the left ventricle during
diastole, there is decreased effective forward flow.
• Aortic regurgitation causes volume overload.
• The volume overload causes left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

7. complications
• Heart failure may become severe and life-threatening.
• Infection of the valve (endocarditis) is an uncommon complication. (Abnormal
valves are more prone than normal valves to infection.) Unless promptly treated,
endocarditis can cause serious illness.

8. diagnosis
• The diagnosis of aortic regurgitation a common test for the evaluation of the
severity is echocardiography.
• Chest X-ray can assist in making the diagnosis, showing left ventricular
hypertrophy and dilated aorta.
• ECG typically indicates left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Cardiac chamber catheterization assists in assessing the severity of
regurgitation and any left ventricular dysfunction.

10. Thank you