AI

Aortic insufficiency

Aortic insufficiency (AI), also known as aortic regurgitation, is a condition where the aortic valve fails to close properly, allowing blood to flow backward from the aorta into the left ventricle during diastole. This inefficiency forces the heart to work harder, as the left ventricle has to pump both the normal blood volume and the regurgitated blood, leading to ventricular dilation and eventual heart failure if left untreated.

Patients may remain asymptomatic for years, as the left ventricle remodels and enlarges to accommodate the extra volume, maintaining cardiac output. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms like dyspnea, fatigue, and chest pain develop, signaling that the compensatory mechanisms are failing.

AI is often marked by a classic diastolic murmur best at the left sternal border. Another hallmark is wide pulse pressure due to the rapid drop in aortic pressure during diastole.