Eventually (typically after a latency period) the left ventricle will become decompensated, and filling pressures will increase. Some individuals enter this decompensated phase asymptomatically, treatment for AR involves aortic valve replacement prior to this decompensation phase. Treatment
Aortic regurgitation can be treated either medically or surgically, depending on the acuteness of presentation, the symptoms and signs associated with the disease process, and the degree of left ventricular dysfunction. Surgical treatment in asymptomatic patients has been recommended if the ejection fraction falls to 50% or below, in the face of progressive and severe left ventricular dilatation, or with symptoms or abnormal response to exercise testing. For both groups of patients, surgery before the development of worsening ejection fraction/LV dilatation is expected to reduce the risk of sudden death, and is associated with lower peri-operative mortality. Also, surgery is optimally performed immediately in acute cases. Medical treatment
Medical therapy of chronic aortic regurgitation that is stable and asymptomatic involves the use of vasodilators. Trials have shown a short-term benefit in the use of ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists, nifedipine, and hydralazine in improving left ventricular wall stress, ejection fraction, and mass. The goal in using these pharmacologic agents is to decrease the afterload so that the left ventricle is somewhat spared. The regurgitant fraction may not change significantly, since the gradient between the aortic and left ventricular pressures is usually fairly low at the initiation of treatment.
Left ventricle dysfunction determines to an extent the outlook for severity of aortic regurgitation cases. References
Further reading
Hamirani, Yasmin S.; Dietl, Charles A.; Voyles, Wyatt; Peralta, Mel; Begay, Darlene; Raizada, Veena (2012-08-28). "Acute Aortic Regurgitation". Circulation. 126 (9): 1121–1126. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.112.113993. ISSN 0009-7322. PMID 22927474. Dujardin, Karl S.; Enriquez-Sarano, Maurice; Schaff, Hartzell V.; Bailey, Kent R.; Seward, James B.; Tajik, A. Jamil (1999-04-13). "Mortality and Morbidity of Aortic Regurgitation in Clinical Practice A Long-Term Follow-Up Study". Circulation. 99 (14): 1851–1857. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.99.14.1851. ISSN 0009-7322. PMID 10199882. == External links ==