Aortic insufficiency is a heart valve disease in which the
aortic valve does not close tightly. This leads to the backward
flow of blood from the aorta (the largest blood vessel) into the
left ventricle (a chamber of the heart). Aortic valve prolapse;
Aortic regurgitation Causes, incidence, and risk factors Aortic
insufficiency can result from any condition that keeps the
aortic valve from closing all the way. A small amount of blood
comes back each time the heart beats. The condition causes
widening (dilation) of the left lower chamber of the heart.
Larger amounts of blood leave the heart with each squeeze or
contraction. This leads to a strong and forceful pulse (bounding
pulse). Over time, the heart becomes less able to pump blood to
the body. In the past, rheumatic fever was the main cause of
aortic insufficiency. Now that antibiotics are used to treat
rheumatic fever, other causes are more commonly seen. A chest
x-ray may show swelling of the left lower heart chamber. Lab
tests cannot diagnose aortic ins