Others won't have symptoms until adulthood, if ever. This was during a 12 week intense training block where my resting heart rate got as low as 42 bpm. Aortic valve stenosis: Your aortic valve narrows, reducing blood flow through it. Thanks a lot for your answers. But neither of these procedures are durable for the long-term. No pulmonary hypertension Could you express your opinion on this issue? Patients whove had aortic valve replacement and/or replacement of the aorta will require life-long monitoring by their doctor, with periodic echocardiogram and/or chest CT scanning. You can see my post above, from 26th of april. We expect the current generation tissue valve to last at least 12-15 years before problems. I had a good childhood being very active in sports and physical activity, I had just had to watch out for contact due to warfarin. In addition, I will get a random bout of lightheadedness when standing or sitting in a awkard position. Four necropsy series5, 6, 8, 20 provide the only basis we have for estimating the incidence of bicuspid aortic valve in the adult population, as diagnosis by auscultation is insufficiently accurate and no relevant echocardiographic study has been published. Thanks for sharing the article about the PEARS technique. Valve replacement with either a tissue (bioprosthetic) valve or a mechanical valve is, by far, more common. Get on with it. I had AVR exactly 1 year ago to the date. To no surprise, people are worried about me running tomorrow. Bobbie. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Im not sure theres enough information at hand to offer sound advice. http://www.energystretch.com Bicuspid Aortic Valve - Medscape Who Qualifies for TAVR. The doc says the big risk is due to the blood thinners. triangle chokes, other blood chokes) could be putting pressure on my heart and cause my aorta diameter to increase? My heart rate some time is 100. I was physically examined by a medical board at new Delhi for the post of a chemist in geological servey of India but they declared me unfit as I have BAV . What Is Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease? My problem is with cardiologists stating do not lift anything over 50lbs. Very likely an operation will be needed at some point in the future. She was originally under the impression she felt the way she did simply because she was exhausted. In the process of how I had the slow waltz with MG UNTIL DIAGnosed, will be ready in 3 weeks. Its a hard thing to describe to my cardiologist that my legs and HR are not cooperating when the pace picks up. We have contacted the Cleveland Clinic to learn more and will report back soon. Sometimes my cardiologist says there is minimal change and he thinks my aorta had slightly enlarged by 1-2mm. Required fields are marked *. His only complaint or change is shortness of breath with stairs. Athletes should have detailed discussion with their doctors about any prudent limitations to exercise after operation and settle on a mutually agreeable plan. I ran competively for a division 1 NCAA university through college and have maintained a high level of physical fitness since. There has been a slight increase in the measurements over the last several years, but I am still below the threshold which would require surgical intervention. And now my aortic root is 42 mm. Is a CT or MRI absolutely necessary for measuring the aortic diameter? Thank you so much for your explanations, Im 30 years old with BAV 2 instead of 3 leaflets since birth, doctors recommended me to have Echocardiography test each year and so. No stenosis, no calcification. Im just going to do my very best to stay the course and have annual echoes to track my valve. I would think that, ordinarily, a homograft would heal up along a similar timeline to other types of valve/aortic root replacement. These leaflets open and close to regulate blood flow from the heart into the aorta, and prevent blood from flowing back into the heart. My resting pulse is 55 and BP 115/82. Last echo measurements LDid 6.3cm z-score 2.4, LVIDs 4.1 cm z-score 2.0, LVPWd 1.2cm z-score 1.9, asc aorta Diam 4.0 cm z-score 5.8. The best source of recommendations about safety of various forms of exercise will come from your doctor(s) who are familiar with all the particulars of your circumstance. Thank you to every doc and nurse on my team.". Should I increase amount of weight? Beta blockers are frequently prescribed in the circumstance you describe, but in truth we dont know if they will be effective in delaying surgery for any given patient. They dont know they have it [It] leaks blood. Ive heard from a fair number of endurance athletes after having aortic valve operations of one sort or another. Im not aware of studies explicitly about athletes after Ross procedure for BAV. Ad Choices, Blood molecules as they exit the left ventricle: I'll be back., The 42 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch Right Now. And I took him for check up every year and nothing change and he never had any symptoms. But like a lot of women, I thought that heart disease was an old white guys disease," the former talk show, 56, host tells PEOPLE. After the first month, patients are generally allowed to return gradually to all of their previous activities. Thats the main reason for choosing a tissue valve in my case. My cardiologist has advised me to avoid high impact activities such as weight lifting and endurance training. The valve will become healed (scarred) into the surrounding heart tissues with the passage of time. PS I am really interested to know if HIIT is too intense a system of exercise for people with BAV. If so, how quickly? However, his ascending aorta has been enlarging: 11/27/13 31 mm (echo), 6/10/15 39 mm (echo), 7/8/16 41 mm MRI). Biscuspid Aortic Valve with trivial AR The doctor said she would see if she could talk about his case with the surgical panel but she said even if he did have surgery he couldnt have a career in sports??? The doctor looked at the results and told me to limit physical activity (running), because it can lead to heart failure in future. Baldwin Publishing, Inc. strongly suggests that you use this information in consultation with your doctor or other health professional. I have also been advised that running intervals at over 80% max heart rate would not be sensible. He would be devastated to never be able to play again. I continued playing hockey routinely until I was in my late twenties. The surgery involved a replacement heart valve made from a transplanted tissue sourced from his pulmonic valve. I asked her when I get my valve replaced(it will have to be replaced sometime in the future) will they repair my aneurysm and to my surprise she said no. Aside from the problems with aortic valve stenosis or regurgitation or with enlargement of the aorta, individuals with BAV can also suddenly develop the problem of aortic dissection. All aorta is normal, valvula normal funkcion only sinus valsava 35-37mm. Details of my condition: Lack of breath? Does lifting weights up to 100 pounds and being cleared for push-ups, pull-ups, all cardio, etc., sound reasonable? In late March, Schwarzenegger was heavily involved in a chess tournament with his donkey Lulu. A CT scan made the diagnosis. And, if so, how did things go? Open heart surgery is sometimes the best option, but it is not always the only option. PS: I noticed that the option Notify me of follow-up comments by email doesnt seem to work. While the defective valve may be easy to see, the defect also causes changes in the tissues of the aorta and the heart. For many patients, I recommend no heavy lifting (>10 pounds) for the first month after conventional heart surgery. What activities can I do? Im keeping my heart rate below 150, 160 at most but just for short period of time. Theres no reason to not be CPR certified.. Athletes will ask when they can return to their sports. At the USC Cardiovascular Thoracic Institute, we are dedicated to improving the statistics concerning cardiovascular and thoracic disease such as those once faced by the governor, said Starnes, who also serves as executive director of the Institute. My heart seems to heal, so that speaks well for my future.. Rather than just sit there and do nothing about how much I missed [my mother], I put all of that pain, sorrow and longing for my mother into helping educate and make people aware. Today, echocardiography (ultrasound) for screening or diagnostic purposes for some other heart problem is the most common way that BAV is detected. A bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is an aortic valve that has only two leaflets instead of three. Thats always the concern with new techniques with limited follow-up data. On March 30, 2018, we learned that Arnold Schwarzengger required a second heart surgery. According to reports (and my new cardiologist), this congenital variation . Based on the information Ive provided, I would greatly appreciate your advice and opinion on the matter. To much info to much detail so much information and advice. I otherwise feel very healthy, other than (I think) normal slowing down that comes with age. Its conceivable that an echocardiogram a week afterwards could be abnormal simply because of the race. Depending upon the size of the prosthetic valve, there is so e built-in obstruction to blood flow that is e aggregated during exercise. Diagnosis was made because pulse dropped to 30 (normally 52), and pacemaker was thought to be needed (no symptoms other than low pulse for a few days). However, I absolutely love being competitive at running, and dont want to jeopardize that either. My son will seek a repair when his conditions deteriorate. No changes in regurgitation status (aortic regurgitation LVOT 19%); Robbie Benson - Actor/Director - Bicuspid Aortic Valve. There are just so many causes of shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and chest pain.even besides the heart-related causes. At this appointment she advised that there has been some progression in his regurgitation and she did a stress test on him which did not show any concerns and hey was a ble to do it for almost 12 minutes. The average lifespan for a cow valve or pig valve is about 10 to 15 years, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Bicuspid aortic valve is a type of abnormality of the aortic valve. I dont know what to do .. Thank you so much! Best to continue to work towards identifying cause(s) and getting any needed treatment. The various artificial valves are a little bit less efficient that the valve were born with. I think you understand the guidelines correctly. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Bicuspid Aortic Valve I made appointment with my cardio, to clear that up, dont worry :). And, of course, its important to monitor over time the function of the prosthetic aortic valve and the size of the aorta. Bicuspid Aortic Valve and Bicuspid Aortopathy Nomenclature and Thanks so much I was training for 11th marathon at the time (over the past 13 years). She partnered with the American Heart Association to encourage others to get CPR training that could potentially be life-saving. I realize that appointment availability for medical specialistsin your case, the pediatric cardiologistcan be tight. Those with symptoms are usually identified (BECAUSE of those symptoms) in the first year or two of life. Bicuspid Aortic Valve - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Surgery Im a 33 yro female, diagnosed with BAV. Surgeon Q&A: What is TAVR Valve-in-Valve? I know it can be frustrating when you get conflicting opinions regarding the safety of exercise. I have been feeling better than before the surgery and I feel with better condition on the trails. However, my most recent scan in October revealed all Stenosis and LV thickening had gone completely (Doctor said this was a very positive result perhaps due to excercise and medication). I was just curious if there any way to know if my valve is affecting my times at all? For the last 7-8 years I didnt do too much sport (kids, family). Very often, the specialists office will make note of the patients problem and make appropriate decisions about whether routine or urgent appointment scheduling is needed. I have some issues with a dull pain right below my left breast that seems to come more often with a poor dietbut just doesnt seem like it could me esophagus related? We briefly talked about the Ross procedure vs mechanical valve replacement. I have: I am a cycling Masters racer (Cat 2) for last 25 years . On April 16, 1997, Arnold Schwarzenegger underwent elective heart surgery to replace a defective, congenital aortic heart valve. Im not a nurse or anyone who can help in any real way, she told PEOPLE, fighting back tears. Latest Advances in the Treatment of Bicuspid Aortic Valve Because it was just a cardiologist, not a sports cardiologist or physiotherapist. This is the only measurement that has gone down . Doing nothing wont be great for my heart and wont extend my life neither probably.. Since you have the ready info about your aortic sizes over time, I will guess that you have a doctor or cardiologist that you are working with. New guidelines from 2015 are in accord with your doctors recommendations about vigorous exercise as well as periodic imaging to measure the aorta. In some cases, the aortic valve can be repaired and the enlarged aorta can be replaced with a Dacron tube. Lynn. Contemporary reports suggest that life expectancy with BAV is no different from the general population. Catch up on the years best movies, whether in theaters or now streaming at home. Aortic valve replacement is recommended for nearly all patients with severe valve stenosis (valve opening less than 1.0 cm2), Aortic valve replacement is recommended for patients with severe valve regurgitation if there are symptoms due to the regurgitation (eg, shortness of breath with exertion) or evidence that the heart is suffering because of the regurgitation (enlargement of the left ventricle), Repair or replacement of the beginning portion of the aorta is recommended if there is enlargement of the aorta to greater than 5.0 cm. my son has BAV he was born with. Website designed by Gatorworks. Could you please give me an insight into what else could be causing these chronic episodes of shortness of breathe, lightheadedness and off-on chest pains. Stories of Bicuspid Aortic Valve. I cant do that justice here. She's currently spreading the word about the AHA's partnership with CVS' MinuteClinics for free heart health screenings every Thursday in February. A faulty aortic valve isn't something you want to have considering that it helps blood flow out of the heart and through the rest of the body. Many people in your situation will eventually need operation for replacement of the valve or the aorta, but wed need a crystal ball to know about the future. will need careful consideration by your physicians who know all of the pertinent details. I just need to know if these sports are a possibility (im pretty sure football is a no given its contact nature). Soccer is his only sport and his passion- he plays on his high school team and a travel team. I did cardio training 3 times a week and weight training twice a week for 60 years. Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Governator) - Heart Valve Replacement. Theres a saying if you watch a group of kids running around, you would never know who had a heart defect unless they lifted their shirt. This list, which may shock you, includes Olympians, Athletes, Musicians and more, all with an invisible illness. I had a cardio version to correct the AFIB. Thats the reason we try to place the largest possible substitute valve in patients who need replacement. If the valve does not close completely, blood can leak into the heart. Maybe a genewho knows. Rhm, 43, tragically lost two of her family members to heart issues. 27yr old male. First, a disclaimer.My practice is devoted to adult patients. His doctor recommended he see a pediatric cardiologist within 1-2 weeks but when I called they cant get him in until April 14th.