What is a common abnormal finding in patients with aortic regurgitation?

Aortic regurgitation leads to volume overload of the left ventricle due to the backflow of blood from the aorta during diastole. This condition causes the left ventricle to adapt through eccentric hypertrophy. Eccentric hypertrophy is characterized by enlarging of the ventricular chamber while the wall thickness increases, which allows the heart to accommodate the increased volume.

In patients with this condition, the adaptation enables them to maintain cardiac output effectively for a period, despite the abnormal flow dynamics. Over time, if untreated, aortic regurgitation can lead to heart failure as the heart's ability to compensate diminishes. Since eccentric hypertrophy is a hallmark response to volume overload, it is the typical abnormal finding associated with aortic regurgitation.