Definition Aortic valve insufficiency is a heart valve defect of the aortic valve, which is positioned between the left ventricle and the aorta. In aortic valve insufficiency, the aortic valve no longer closes sufficiently, so there is a leak, causing blood to flow back into the left ventricle against the actual direction of flow. This … Aortic valve insufficiency
Causes Congenital aortic valve insufficiency is rarely found. One cause of a congenital form would be a so-called bicuspid aortic valve, an aortic valve with only two pockets. However, the aortic valve usually consists of three pockets, which is why a healthy aortic valve is called a tricuspid aortic valve. If the aortic valve insufficiency … Causes | Aortic valve insufficiency
Diagnosis At the beginning there is the external examination by simply looking at the patient. If chronic aortic valve insufficiency is present, the first signs may already be visible here, such as the pulse-synchronous nodding of the head. The measurement of blood pressure, for example, yields values of 180/40 mmHg. If the values measured in … Diagnosis | Aortic valve insufficiency
Therapy The therapy of aortic valve insufficiency can be either conservative or surgical. Conservative therapy: In general, patients who do not feel any symptoms and who also have good function of the left ventricle can be treated conservatively. This includes drug therapy with the aim of reducing the resistance against which the left ventricle works … Therapy | Aortic valve insufficiency
Forecast Patients with chronic aortic valve insufficiency can be without symptoms for long periods of time. Life expectancy is not reduced in patients with mild to moderate chronic aortic valve insufficiency without symptoms. If aortic valve insufficiency is already more advanced, only half of those affected live 10 years after diagnosis. Patients who already have … Forecast | Aortic valve insufficiency
