Aortic Valve Regurgitation

Aortic valve regurgitation

Aortic regurgitation is leakage of the aortic valve each time the left ventricle relaxes.The volume and pressure of blood in the left ventricle may increase. As a result, the heart may have to do more work to compensate. The walls of the ventricle will sometimes thicken, and a thickened heart muscle is less effective. Eventually, the heart maybe unable to meet the body’s need for blood, leading to heart failure.

Symptoms

Being born with a bicuspid aortic valve or a damaged aortic valve.Enlargement of the aorta because of high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries.Endocarditis, which is an infection in the heart.Aortic dissection, which means that the inner layer of the aorta separates from the middle layer.Trauma to the heart valve or aorta.

Statistics

The prevalence in the Germany of any valve regurgitation disease is 1.5%. Of those with valve disease about 1.45% has Aortic valve regurgitation. The prevalence of moderate or severe Aortic valve regurgitation in patients more than 65 years old is 3.1%. It is the most common valvular heart disease of the elderly and increases with age. The prevalence is 2.2% at age 75 years and 8.1% at 85 years.