Aortic insufficiency
Alternative names:
aortic regurgitation; aortic valve prolapse
Symptoms:
- sensation of heart beating (palpitations)
- pulse, bounding
- irregular, rapid, racing, pounding, or fluttering pulse
- fainting
- weakness, particularly with activity
- shortness of breath with activity or when lying down
- fatigue, excessive tiredness
- chest pain, angina type
- under the sternum, may radiate
- crushing, squeezing, pressure, tightness
- pain increases with exercise, relieves with rest
Note: Commonly, aortic insufficiency shows no symptoms for many years. Symptoms may then occur gradually or suddenly.
Signs and tests:
Auscultation (listening to the chest with a stethoscope) shows a heart murmur. Palpation (examination by hand) may show hyperdynamic (very forceful) beating of the heart. Pulse pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure) may be widened to more than 60, and diastolic blood pressure may be low. There may be signs of pulmonary edema.
Aortic insufficiency may be seen on: An ECG test or Chest X-ray may show left ventricle enlargement.
Lab tests are nondiagnostic for aortic insufficiency, but may they be used to rule out other disorders or causative factors.
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