For mild and moderate cases, no treatment is usually necessary. Sometimes, prophylactic antibiotic treatment is indicated. (Oakes).
Aortic regurgitation (also known as aortic insufficiency) is a valvular heart defect that occurs when the incomplete closing of the aortic valve results in retrograde blood flow into the left ventricle during diastole. Etiologies that could result in aortic regurgitation include; dissecting aneurysm, infection, systemic inflammatory disease, and trauma. A person may be asymptomatic or may exhibit symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, and syncope. (Oakes).
Clinical manifestations of aortic insufficiency in chronic compensated cases are a bounding pulse, flushed diaphoretic skin, high systolic blood pressure, low diastolic pressure, and increased pulse pressure. Respiratory rate, lung sounds, ABG values, neck veins, urinary output, capillary refill, mental status, and heart rate will all be normal. (Oakes).
In acute or decompensated cases of aortic insufficiency the respiratory rate will be increased with dyspnea. Auscultation will reveal crackles and wheeze. ABGs will reflect a respiratory alkalosis changing to a metabolic acidosis. Heart rate will be increased and pulse will be bounding. The neck veins will be distended and urinary output decreased. The skin will be pale and cyanotic. Capillary refill will be low and their mental status will be stuporous. Blood pressure will be low along with the pulse pressure. (Oakes).
In all cases of aortic insufficiency, heart sounds will be blowing, high pitched, decrescendo sounding diastolic murmur. (Oakes).
EKGs will reveal left ventricular hypertrophy, tall R waves, and sinus tachycardia. X-rays will show left ventricular enlargement. (Oakes).
In cases of compensated aortic insufficiency, no treatment may be needed except for maybe prophylactic antibiotics. In decompensated cases, surgery is definitive. In acute cases, emergency surgery is required for management.