Aortic regurgitation can lead to which type of heart failure?

Aortic regurgitation primarily leads to systolic heart failure due to the volume overload it causes on the left ventricle. In this condition, the aortic valve does not close properly during diastole, allowing some of the blood to flow back into the left ventricle from the aorta. As a result, the left ventricle experiences increased volume load over time, which initially leads to ventricular dilation and hypertrophy to compensate for the extra volume. Eventually, this compensation fails, leading to a decreased ejection fraction and heart's inability to effectively pump blood during systole, which is characteristic of systolic heart failure.

While diastolic heart failure can occur in various settings, it is not the primary consequence of aortic regurgitation. Diastolic heart failure involves issues with the filling of the heart rather than the pumping action itself, a scenario seen more often in conditions like hypertensive heart disease or restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Right-sided heart failure isn't a direct consequence of aortic regurgitation, as this condition predominantly affects the left side of the heart. It can occur in advanced stages or due to other associated cardiac conditions but is not the primary outcome of isolated aortic regurgitation.

Severe arrhythmias