What is aortic valve insufficiency?
Definition The aortic valve separates the left ventricle of the heart (the heart’s largest pumping chamber) from the aorta, the large artery that carries oxygen-rich blood out of the left ventricle to the rest of the body. In aortic valve insufficiency, the aortic valve becomes leaky, causing blood to flow backwards into the left ventricle. Description Aortic valve insufficiency occurs when this valve cannot properly close after blood that is leaving the heart’s left ventricle enters the aorta. With each contraction of the heart more and more blood flows back into the left ventricle, causing the ventricle to become overfilled. This larger-than-normal amount of blood that collects in the left ventricle puts pressure on the walls of the heart, causing the heart muscle to increase in thickness (hypertrophy). If this thickening continues, the heart can be permanently damaged. Aortic valve insufficiency is also know as aortic valve regurgitation because of the abnormal reversed flow of bloo
