Here is a quote from the following website which is about AS and written for doctors.
http://www.emedicine.com/radio/topic41.htm

Patients should be examined for possible development of complications. Cardiovascular complications include aortic incompetence secondary to aortitis and more rare conditions such as conduction defects, cardiomyopathy, and pericarditis.

It sound to me like there could be problems with the aorta due to inflammation of it.

Hope this helps!

Karen

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