aortic regurgitation

• "water hammer pulse" = twin-peaked pulse
• systolic ejection murmur + high pitched diastolic murmur
• Austin Flint murmur = soft midiastolic or presystolic bruit

• LV enlargement + initially normal pulmonary vascularity
  • DDx: congestive cardiomyopathy, pericardial effusion
• normal aorta (in intrinsic valve disease)
• dilation +/- calcification of ascending aorta (in aortic wall dz)
• tortuous descending aorta
• premature closure of mitral valve (high diastolic LV pressure): valve is almost completely closed before onset of systole

© 2002, C.E. Kahn, Jr.
2002-04-18