Parámetros ecográficos para el diagnóstico de la insuficiencia aortica

Abstract

Aortic regurgitation is the failure of the aortic valve to close completely during diastole, allowing blood to flow backward from the aorta into the left ventricle, generating volume overload. The most common etiologies include valvular degeneration and calcification, rheumatic valvular disease, root dilatation, infective endocarditis, among others. To diagnose aortic regurgitation, transthoracic echocardiography is the tool of choice, with morphological detail also provided by transesophageal echocardiography or other modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging when necessary. Among the most relevant ultrasound parameters for classifying the severity of aortic regurgitation are the width of the vena contracta, the ratio of the width of the regurgitant jet to the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), the presence of diastolic flow reversal in the descending aorta, half-pressure time, the effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA), regurgitant volume, regurgitant fraction, and indices of left ventricular size and function. In this study, a literature review was conducted using the PubMed search engine, using key descriptors such as "aortic regurgitation" and "echocardiogram." The inclusion criteria were articles published no more than 10 years ago; available in English, Spanish, or Portuguese; and covering the main topic. Aortic regurgitation is a valvular disease with significant hemodynamic consequences, the diagnosis and stratification of which depend on a multimodal evaluation focused on echocardiography.