Aortic Insufficiency - Etiology

Etiology

About half of the cases of aortic insufficiency are due to the aortic root dilatation (annuloaortic ectasia), which is idiopathic in over 80% of cases, but otherwise may result from aging, syphilitic aortitis, osteogenesis imperfecta, aortic dissection, Behçet's disease, reactive arthritis and systemic hypertension. In about 15% the cause is innate bicuspidal aortic valve, while another 15% cases are due to retraction of the cusps as part of postinflammatory processes of endocarditis in rheumatic fever and various collagen vascular diseases. Additionally, aortic insufficiency has been linked to the use of some medications, specifically medications containing fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine isomers and dopamine agonists. Other potential causes that affects the valve directly include: Marfan's syndrome, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, ankylosing spondylitis and systemic lupus erythematosus. In acute cases of aortic insufficiency, the main causes are infective endocarditis, aortic dissection or trauma.