Management of Chronic Aortic Regurgitation

Major advances in the recognition, evaluation, and surgical treatment of valvular heart disease during the past two decades have yielded striking improvements in quality of life and long-term survival for patients with this disorder. These advances are exemplified by the transformation of the treatment of patients with chronic aortic regurgitation, once considered an enigmatic and insidious disease. Patients with aortic regurgitation often remain asymptomatic for many years, even decades, despite severe left ventricular volume overload. By the time symptoms of angina or dyspnea occur, however, many have irreversible left ventricular dysfunction. Hence, if the onset of symptoms is used as…