My heart doctor diagnosed a bicuspid aortic heart valve about 6 years ago. He recommended an annual follow up to test for any changes in this valve. I have ...Read more
My heart doctor diagnosed a bicuspid aortic heart valve about 6 years ago. He recommended an annual follow up to test for any changes in this valve. I have not followed his advice. What are the benefits of an annual heart valve evaluation?
Marie Myers You can find out whether you have formed an ascending aneurysm on your aorta, which can kill you. The ... Read more
Marie Myers You can find out whether you have formed an ascending aneurysm on your aorta, which can kill you. These aneurysms are more common with bicuspid aortic valves. I formed one, found out in 2016, and had surgery March 2017. Had I not had a routine echocardiogram, I would not have known, and risked a sudden death like Alan Thicke and John Ritter. Checkups are a good idea...
Rosemary Bobicz Creutz Many people are asymptomatic and have no awareness of any changes to their heart and cardiac function ... Read more
Rosemary Bobicz Creutz Many people are asymptomatic and have no awareness of any changes to their heart and cardiac function. The diagnostic tests that are annually done help to monitor any changes and the rate of change. These tests and rate of change are used to determine the appropriate timing for surgery if and when it becomes necessary. Without this monitoring, a valve or complication can become emergent and outcomes for emergent surgeries are less favorable.
Rob Sparling Thomas, over the span of two years I went from a heart murmur to a severe amount of aortic regurgitat ... Read more
Rob Sparling Thomas, over the span of two years I went from a heart murmur to a severe amount of aortic regurgitation in my bicuspid valve. I was assymptomatic right up until my aortic valve surgery.
I recommend you get a TTE (transthoracic echo) and consider if that should be a stress echo. Don’t be surprised if they then suggest a TEE (transesophogeal echo) to better see what is going on in the valve. But managing the progression over time is important and the annual checks are part of the game plan.
Steve Farthing To live longer, live better and avoid a possibly fatal and sudden event. Also your doc might find yo ... Read more
Steve Farthing To live longer, live better and avoid a possibly fatal and sudden event. Also your doc might find you have nothing to worry about for the time being, see you next year or whenever, so some peace of mind.
Bradley Dunn Like others have said... You can get stenotic and eventually reach heart failure... Or have a disecti ... Read more
Bradley Dunn Like others have said... You can get stenotic and eventually reach heart failure... Or have a disection which is often instantly fatal.
Dan Baltazor I concur with everyone’s responses. I have gone to my annual cardiologist appointments starting in ... Read more
Dan Baltazor I concur with everyone’s responses. I have gone to my annual cardiologist appointments starting in 2005. It wasn’t until this past year that I went from moderate to severe very quickly without having any symptoms. It has been apparent through tests and procedures that I am on the fast track to critical.
Catie B I second Marie Myers' post. Found aortic aneurysm (probably caused by lifelong bicuspid valve) in 200 ... Read more
Catie B I second Marie Myers' post. Found aortic aneurysm (probably caused by lifelong bicuspid valve) in 2009. Learned I should not lift heavy items or do Valsalva maneuver. Surgery time arrived seven years later. These are surgeries you want to do on time and not risk severe heart damage/early death.
Greetings Thomas
Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you follow your cardiologist’s recommenda ... Read more
Greetings Thomas
Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you follow your cardiologist’s recommendation immediately. Get yourself checked out posthaste.
Get into regular follow ups. At the least yearly monitoring is essential (assuming your valve condition and possibly associated aneurysm hasn’t significantly worsened in the intervening six years and that you therefore now require more regular monitoring). It will do you no good to bury your head in the sand. Unless, of course, you have, like I said, a desire to slip off this mortal coil sooner rather than later.
Damage to the heart can occur the longer you leave treatment of a stenosed bicuspid valve – damage and untimely death. Ruptured aneurysms take no prisoners.
Your condition is treatable. Of the countless serious and potentially fatal conditions our bodies can be subjected to, your condition is one of the more welcoming ones because it’s rectification has a tremendously high success rate. It need not be fatal unless the patient chooses to ignore a cardiologist’s expert advice or has a devil-may-care attitude to personal health.
It is a ‘mechanical’ issue that can be rectified by the brilliant skill of a heart surgeon. There is absolutely no reason why you cannot continue to live a full, long and healthy life post surgery (should you need surgery … and one has to assume that eventually you will be subject to surgery considering the inherent pathology of your congenital heart condition).
Hesitate at your peril. Be kind to yourself and your loved ones: get yourself monitored.
Good health and best wishes to you.
Jennifer McInerney As my surgeon said “no good ever came from waiting with this condition”. It’s scary to contempl ... Read more
Jennifer McInerney As my surgeon said “no good ever came from waiting with this condition”. It’s scary to contemplate but your alternative is way worse. Keep on top of this and find a medical team you trust.
Dan Vechiola I know the feeling of staying away vs going all in. Staying away you don't have total peace of mind ... Read more
Dan Vechiola I know the feeling of staying away vs going all in. Staying away you don't have total peace of mind because that fear is always tucked in the back of your mind. Going all in and getting involved allows you to stay on top of your situation. There is no benefit to staying away because as others have said too many conditions can develop. As Brad said you can develop heart failure which is too late to have your valve replaced and carries a 2 year life expectancy. Its kind of like the oil change commercial. You can pay for It now or pay for it later. Paying now allows you to have what I feel is the biggest benefit I have experienced so far - Peace of mind! Paying later has many bad circumstances including fatal ones.
I recommend you get a TTE (transthoracic echo) and consider if that should be a stress echo. Don’t be surprised if they then suggest a TEE (transesophogeal echo) to better see what is going on in the valve. But managing the progression over time is important and the annual checks are part of the game plan.
Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you follow your cardiologist’s recommenda ... Read more
Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you follow your cardiologist’s recommendation immediately. Get yourself checked out posthaste.
Get into regular follow ups. At the least yearly monitoring is essential (assuming your valve condition and possibly associated aneurysm hasn’t significantly worsened in the intervening six years and that you therefore now require more regular monitoring). It will do you no good to bury your head in the sand. Unless, of course, you have, like I said, a desire to slip off this mortal coil sooner rather than later.
Damage to the heart can occur the longer you leave treatment of a stenosed bicuspid valve – damage and untimely death. Ruptured aneurysms take no prisoners.
Your condition is treatable. Of the countless serious and potentially fatal conditions our bodies can be subjected to, your condition is one of the more welcoming ones because it’s rectification has a tremendously high success rate. It need not be fatal unless the patient chooses to ignore a cardiologist’s expert advice or has a devil-may-care attitude to personal health.
It is a ‘mechanical’ issue that can be rectified by the brilliant skill of a heart surgeon. There is absolutely no reason why you cannot continue to live a full, long and healthy life post surgery (should you need surgery … and one has to assume that eventually you will be subject to surgery considering the inherent pathology of your congenital heart condition).
Hesitate at your peril. Be kind to yourself and your loved ones: get yourself monitored.
Good health and best wishes to you.