Aortic insufficiency is the leaking 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 . The leakage of blood may prevent your heart from efficiently pumping blood out to the rest of your body. To compensate, the muscular walls of the ventricles thicken (hypertrophy), and the chambers of the ventricles enlarge (dilate). The aortic valve works like a one-way gate, opening so that blood from the left ventricle (the heart's main pump) can be pushed into the aorta , the large artery leaving the heart. At this point, an aortic valve replacement is typically needed to prevent abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias), heart failure , and irreversible damage to the heart muscle. With each heartbeat, some of the blood pumped into the aorta leaks back (regurgitates) through the faulty valve into the left ventricle. Aortic valve regurgitation can develop suddenly or over decades. It has a variety of causes, such as rheumatic fever. Once aortic valve regurgitation becomes severe, surgery is usually required to repair or replace the aortic valve.Aortic valve regurgitation is also called aortic insufficiency or aortic incompetence.

Aortic valve regurgitation or aortic regurgitation is a condition that occurs when your heart's aortic valve doesn't close tightly. From the aorta, oxygen-rich blood flows into the branching arteries and through the body to feed the cells. The body doesn't receive enough blood, so the heart must work harder to make up for it (compensation) Regurgitation means the valve doesn't close properly, and blood can leak backward through it. See an illustration of aortic valve regurgitation. This usually doesn't cause any symptoms or problems. This topic focuses on the more serious cases of aortic valve regurgitation where large amounts of blood flow back across the aortic valve into the left ventricle. Aortic regurgitation can range from mild to severe. Some people may have no symptoms for years. But as the condition worsens, symptoms will appear. Eventually, despite this compensation, the heart may be unable to meet the body's need for blood, leading to heart failure, with fluid accumulation in the lungs.

Causes of Aortic Regurgitation

The common Causes of Aortic Regurgitation :

Hypertension
Congenital bicuspid aortic valve (person is born with only two aortic valve leaflets, instead of the normal three)
Aortic Dissection
Syphilis
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Aortic Dissection
Marfan's Syndrome
Rheumatic heart disease (caused by untreated "strep throat" in childhood)

Symptoms of Aortic Regurgitation

Some Symptoms of Aortic Regurgitation :

Chest pain .
Fatigue.
Shortness of breath while resting prone.
Usually none until age 40-50.
Swollen ankles and feet.
Shortness of breath on exertion.
Lightheadedness.
Fainting .
Rapid or irregular pulse.

Treatment of Aortic Regurgitation

Beta-blocker medications may slow progression in those with Marfan's Syndrome .
Vasodilator medications such as ACE inhibitors, hydralazine, and nifedipine can decrease the severity of the regurgitation.
Surgical valve replacement in those with symptoms or significant left ventricular dysfunction.

Bowel & Stomach Diseases

Appendicitis
Barett's Oesophagus
Coeliac Disease
Crohn's Disease

Heart Problems

Angina
Aortic Aneurysm
Aortic Regurgitation
Aortic Stenosis
Arrhythmias
Atrial Fibrillation

Infectious Diseases

Bacterial Vaginosis
Bird Flu
Boils
Cellulitis
Chicken Pox
Cystitis

Skin Disorders

Acne
Alopecia Areata
Baldness

Women Diseases

Abnormal Periods
Atropic Vaginitis
Breast Cancer
Breast Pain
Cervical Cancer

Liver & Kidney Diseases

Cholecystitis
Cirrhosis
Fatty Liver Disease
Kidney Cancer
Liver Cancer

Mental Health

Anorexia Nervosa
Bipolar Affective Disorder
Bulimia Nervosa
Dementia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Schizophrenia

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