Hey Kevin,
My cardio told me that ACE Inhibs are the "drug of choice" for aortic regurg folks (specifically, in comparison to Calcium Channel Blockers, as my previous cardio had me on Norvasc). I had read this somewhere on the net, too, some time back, so I wasn't surprised to hear it. The idea is to lower the bp as much as possible to make it easier for the heart to pump blood through the veins (vaso-dialator). He also mentioned that, for reasons they do not fully understand, ACE Inhibs seem to provide some measure of protection for the valve. I started on Altace (7.5 mg) two years ago, and within a day or two noticed a marked improvement in my arrhythmias. After my VR in April, he put me back on at 5.0 mg. He suggested this might be a life-long thing, that the benefits are there, with no real harm.
Another thought: A bit of an enlarged heart does not necessarily mean CHF. My two cardios disagreed over this in relation to me - one thought it was the beginning stage (and possibly so, as I had very severe regurg), while the other likened it to an athlete in perfect health whose heart is enlarged due to the body's response of consistently needing to pump more blood - a sort of conditioning. Either way, the idea was that an ACE Inhib might be able to help the heart and SLOW DOWN (not STOP) the progression of the aortic insufficiency, and thereby possibly postpone (but not prevent) surgery.
I hope you get some confirmation from the second cardio. I always try to grab a copy of my records, particularly test results. A written request usually does the trick.
best wishes,
Jennie