People who constantly have high blood pressure or have severe atherosclerosis have distinct and very curved arteries on their temples and neck.
How does the syndrome manifest
Examining the neck of a person with aortic insufficiency, the specialist will immediately notice the vibration of the paired arteries on both sides of the neck - this is carotid dance. In parallel with the rhythm of the heartbeat, the head can swing back and forth. This is due to a sharp change in the strength of blood pressure in paired blood vessels that run parallel to the respiratory throat and esophagus. Due to pulsation, they cause head movements.
In the neck area, pulsation of the jugular veins is also visible. By this process, one can judge the pressure in the right atrium and cardiac activity. The swelling of the veins of a healthy person is visible when lying down.
The symptom of dancing carotid can combine with other pulsating arteries, even arterioles can be attached to this process.
At this moment, the Quincke pulse is well defined by pressing the end of the nail bed and with pressure on the mucous membrane in the oral cavity, as well as with friction of the skin on the forehead.
Pulsation of the abdominal aorta
Carotid dance is clearly visible in the abdomen, its epigastric region, and it occurs as a result of compression of a greatly enlarged right ventricle or due to a pulsating abdominal aorta. You can better see the pulsation caused by the right ventricle, under the lower free end of the shortest and narrowest sternal part. It is better to examine the patient in a standing position.
The abdominal aortic carotid dance is very visible on the exhale, at this time the person being examined is in a horizontal position.
Liver aortic valve insufficiency
There are two types of liver pulsation:
- the transmission pulsation of the liver is due to its response to heart contractions, the organ moves synchronously in a given direction;
- true pulsation consists in alternating changes in increases and decreases in liver size.
The second type of pulsation can occur with aortic valve insufficiency (carotid dance). The increase (swelling) occurs simultaneously with the apical impulse of the heart and is arterial. With tricuspid insufficiency, venous pulsation will occur. This happens due to the reverse outflow of blood into the not completely closed passage from the right ventricle to the right chamber of the heart. And then the blood enters the lower hollow and hepatic veins. This is what leads to swelling of the liver.