Patient was educated that signs and symptoms of aortic regurgitation can vary from mild to severe depending on the degree of regurgitation, back-flow of blood, and the extent of vital organ compromise.
Patient was educated regarding signs and symptoms are as follows:
- Heart failure
- Progressive back-up of blood can result in symptoms of heart failure and over time, this increased blood volume and pressure in heart can result in enlargement of the heart, progressive weakening of heart muscle, and heart failure. Patients can present with symptoms of heart failure, such as, fluid retention in the chest leading to difficulty in gas exchange in the lungs, swelling of the extremities with pitting edema, and grossly limited exercise tolerance with exacerbation of episodes of shortness of breath. Patients also present with progressively reduced output from the heart and consequently, reduced blood supply to the vital organs.
- Diminished function of vital organs
- Compromised blood and oxygen supply to the vital organs affect their function gradually. Blood supply could be reduced to all organs, such as, brain, heart, lung, stomach, and kidneys, affecting their function.
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
- Reduced output of oxygenated blood from the left ventricle will result in low blood pressure and result in hypotensive symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness. Also, reduced blood supply to the brain can result in increased confusion and frequency of dizzy episodes, thus contributing to falls and accidents.
