Q. Symptoms of aortic regurgitation?
Patients with chronic severe AR may be asymptomatic for many years and it may be picked up on routine examination. Some patients may remain asymptomatic even with severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Excertional dyspnoea occurs as the left ventricle end diastolic pressure increases. Impaired coronary blood flow results in angina, sometimes occurring in the nights and awakening the patient from sleep (nocturnal angina). As the systolic dysfunction worsens, patients may have dyspnoea at rest, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, and even frank heart failure. Angina is more pronounced in patients with Leutic or Takayasu aortitis with coronary ostial disease. Patients may also complain of palpitation due to forcible ventricular contraction. Rarely sudden death may occur in patients with severe aortic regurgitation.