A bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is an aortic valve that has only two leaflets instead of three. Every 6 months it is getting larger. In some cases, bicuspid aortic valve causes another condition called aortic valve stenosis. Exercise and sports are usually safe if there is mild aortic root enlargement but no other heart or vascular problems. Aortic enlargement in patients whove had valve replacement for BAV can be a vexing problem. I will do whatever I can to make sure my mom is comfortable and has whatever she needs, she said. There was only a 0.2 cm increase in the previous 7 years (so from age 21 to 28). Consensus guidelines suggest that athletes with mild aortic regurgitation and no other heart problems can participate fully in their sports. While i appreciate you are not my cardiologist and we`ve never met is there anything generic out there that i can look at to gain an idea. 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). Would this constitute as too much in your opinion ? Thank you so much! A lot of people have it, she told Access Hollywood in 2009. Perhaps that will provide so e reassurance. Im just going to do my very best to stay the course and have annual echoes to track my valve. I would encourage you to have further discussion with your doctor(s) about EXACTLY what forms of exercise are safe. Doing nothing wont be great for my heart and wont extend my life neither probably.. Keyhole just refers to the type of incision used for conventional valve replacement like you had. Would you recommend taking beta-blockers at this stage? On March 30, 2018, we learned that Arnold Schwarzengger required a second heart surgery. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Aortic valve repair is sometimes possible. This can cause the valve to malfunction and prevent blood from flowing correctly from the . Anyway, it has slowed to 1 mm per year, and, via email, Dr. Dietz has suggested we may consider a switch to 300 mg Libersartan? I had my AVR almost one year ago. I have moderate to severe regurgitation and the heart is enlarged as far as I understood. I have been given no restriction to date in any physical exercise as my valve is in decent condition. Ten years ago (2006), doctors said that there was a worsening of the BAV but still no need to have Aortic replacement. I have only trivial aortic regurgitation. Perhaps the doctor could contact the specialist and request an earlier appointment, if that made sense. His whirlwind romance with Katherine Schwarzenegger has resulted in a rather large ring on her finger. The issues of when, how, what sports are safe, etc. It is unclear however if there are cardio thoracic surgeons who perform minimally evasive repairs yet. Your situation is complicated.and it wont be possible to give a complete answer here without additional information. Could you express your opinion on this issue? Currently complete in 5-a-side football and have done for life. The heart has a difficult time coping with extra demands of exercise. New guidelines from 2015 are in accord with your doctors recommendations about vigorous exercise as well as periodic imaging to measure the aorta. He wants to be normal. Aortic dilatation is a common feature of BAV with a prevalence ranging from 20 to 84% , due to differences in assessment techniques, study population, aortic size thresholds, and heterogeneous nature of the . Do medications like beta-blockers limit any potential harm? Running it is important for me but if it has a problematic effect , I would opt for power walking Surgeon Q&A: What is TAVR Valve-in-Valve? Hey is a frustrated guy. May 11, 2010 -- Barbara Walters said on Monday that her upcoming heart surgery, a procedure known as an aortic valve replacement, will hopefully correct a problem of which . EKG and echocardiogram were done showing BAVD. Hamilton mother of twins, Cherie was diagnosed with bicuspid aortic valve disease (BAVD), a disease where the valve has only two leaflets. At approximately three months I became very ill and was diagnosed with prosthetic valve endocarditis. Make no mistake, though. You didnt mention your age, but obviously youd hope that whatever operation is performed.lasts a lifetime. That means it is a congenital heart defect. Bicuspid aortic valve is a common congenital anomaly but does not cause functional problems unless aortic valve stenosis, aortic valve regurgitation, aortic root dilatation, or dissection or infective endocarditis occurs. As of Monday, my BP at the echo appointment read 115/66. I would really like for people to not have to experience what I had to experience, she continued. Thanks very much. So, my question then is really, what should I look out for? My son will be 16 next month. The most common type was type 1 (1 raphe with the raphe positioned between the right and left coronary sinuses (75%), while the second most common type was also type 1 . Is strength training that involves only using ones own body weight ok with mild BAV issues, or is all strength training out? The Jeopardy! No aortic root dialation. Aortic stenosis has been reported to occur in as many as 72 percent of adults with a congenital bicuspid aortic valve, with peak incidence occurring in the 5th and 6th decades of life. Ive yet to feel like Im back to my previous racing fitness that I once had. Many athletes with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) may continue to participate in their sports.provided there are no other problems, either with the aortic valve or nearby aorta. I am a keen weightlifter, which is the basis of this post. I dont believe there is any evidence that would help us know if some forms are safer than others. Then, Arnold's pulmonary valve was switched to the aortic position. My question here is what is the damage I can cause to my heart, mechanical valve, if I keep my heart rate at hi intensity levels? The potential downside relates to durability. I feel like my HR takes longer to warm up and recovery after races is longer. Could he be over-cautious? Post 2 years and Ive yet to get back to my high level of racing fitness and wanted to see what should be expected. Is there any research on this? In 1997, Dr. Starnes led a team of three surgeons who replaced the aortic valve in then-actor Arnold Schwarzeneggers heart. The only question I have is in regards to having my children screened. I am 31 years old and had my BAV repaired at The Cleveland Clinic in 1999 when I was 15. Most patients (like me), however, start to experience problems during their 30s, 40s, and 50s. A repaired valve may not be as efficient as the native, healthy valve. Its a lot harder in the UK to see your cardiologist so you cant get the answers quickly. I know that there can be complication with Dacron graft or even aorta aneurysm building up but Ill stay on positive side since I have no tissue disorder and its highly unlikely that with properly working aortic valve I would develop another one in that short period of time. 1 year ago I gave up smoking and started endurance running. Its not around incision, its mainly middle of left side. If you suspect you have a heart issue, either because you have symptoms or a family history of heart problems, see a doctor. Finally, many patients are able to return to their sports after successful operation. Perhaps the best course of action might be to start off very conservative with exercise, as you are doing, with periodic assessment of the aortic valve and aorta with echo and CT. You might then gradually increase the activity and monitor for any bad signs with the periodic echos and CTs. Medical therapy may be useful to slow or halt the progression of aortic valve disease and aortic enlargement by reducing the blood pressure and the blood pressure across the aortic valve. Bicuspid valve stenosis treatment involves surgery to replace the valve. I ran a 1/2 marathon 4 months after my surgery and have been since training for the Philly FULL marathon, which is tomorrow. i.e. The BAV is monitored annually, the doctor told me that Im currently in the grey zone but stable since I started the monitoring. Lynn. Thanks for the article! Stress echo revealed hypercontractile with normal response in all LV segments, no LV cavitary dialiation. This gives a chance for the sternum, which was split during the operation, to heal completely. I am followed every 2 years. My cardiologist (whom I trust) said to keep working out like I always have (good news for me). Not only the degree of aortic regurgitation, but also the degree of enlargement of the nearby aorta, should be taken into consideration when settling on limits for exercise. My cardiologist gave me green light for everything except strenuous exercise (used to train for ironman and similar challenges). That would include weightlifting. They are able to see my son this Friday, which i am much more comfortable with! I used to do quite some running 10 years ago (still at amateur level), I was doing lots of 10k and 20k and even I managed a marathon in 3h:26min (but at that time I didnt know about the BAV). Negative Stress Echocardiography Thank you! It usually consists of three flaps of tissue what are called valve cusps. Palace Insiders Say Prince William Is Already Furious About Prince Harrys Memoir Leaks, Prince Harry alleges Prince William attacked him over Meghan Markle in a new excerpt from, Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, Rupert Murdoch Knees Trump in the Balls While Hes Doubled Over Coughing Up Blood, By BG017/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images. When we go back to re-replace a patients prosthetic valve, for some reason, it usually has to be chiseled out from the heart. Glad to hear that youre recovering, Zdenko. What activities can I do? 2. swimming? He is on meds to slow it down. Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital cardiovascular anomaly, occurring in 1-2% of the population. This has been true as long as I can remember in all sports I seem to have to put a lot more in to get the same out as others. Hey is almost looking forward to getting it fixed. Im a 30 yr old male, training 5 times a week rowing and strength training. My personal approach to endurance athletes in this situation would be to offer operation if the patient wanted to continue to participate in endurance sports (after operation) and was willing to assume the risks of operation. I am an amateur runner, I do not participate in competitions. Last i took him for the check up and everything is still the same but they said now the guidelines has changed and he is on the borderline of Mild to Moderate which will move him to restricted activities. We have decided to wait and watch. A few hours after helping the woman, she began to experience chest aches, soreness in both arms, nausea and clammy skin. Most patients can resume all of these activities by 2-3 months after operation. However, this is not always the case. Danny. Seven months ago I had emergency AVR due to a BAV that was severely compromised by endocarditis. For patients with bioprosthetic valves after heart valve surgery, the valve itself is not usually affected by weight-lifting activities. The doctor said it wasnt serious, but that I should keep watch on it every year. Very much appreciate this site, thanks Larry for giving people like us a place to voice our concerns ! I get sporatic tingling in my left hand and footand every so often in my left cheek bone. I am 38 and very active (running, cycling, strength training etc). To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Down side: durabilitythe borrowed valve doesnt last forever; it will deteriorate and need re-replacement at some point. The lines are the edges of the valve leaflets that open and close to let blood through. Is this the case? My son is desperate to be able to play sports without any restrictions. Hi again Dr. Creswell, Elite triathletes and heart problems I was born with a BAV and but I didnt notice performance issues until the Summer of 2016, so I brought myself to the doctor. Could the changes in my LV be the result of the physiological, not the pathological change? Holding breath during lifts valsalva). I have been factual with him and told him worst case scenario is he is done with both and have pushed him to see the positives of exploring other things to do. Required fields are marked *. My son was also complaining of shortness of breath with stairs mild and feels tired more easily. My son was just told he made the varsity basketball team as a freshman. My mother passed away last May following her second AVR. His doctor recommended he see a pediatric cardiologist within 1-2 weeks but when I called they cant get him in until April 14th. According to reports (and my new cardiologist), this congenital variation . Any person in my family there was no problem with the heart. During that first month we recommend ample walking as the best form of exercise. Most probably not pericarditis cause I had it once so I know that pain type, but again, maybe its some other type. I think hes amazed by what I have described for my workouts of 65+ mile rides several times a week. This is an area where second opinions may be helpful in sorting out whats safe. Thank you very much for your thoughtful response. 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 . There are 2 broad categories of heart valve substitutes that can be used to replace the human aortic valve: mechanical valves or bioprosthetic (tissue) valves. My doctor says i use losartan for decrease my blood presure. which seems to suggest that he has returned successfully to the sport. Bicuspid aortic valve can be found in 1% to 2% of the general population . I would just like to share my experience of having a Aortic Valve replacement. I have a few questions because I was instructed not to lift more than 10 lbs and that I could resume surfing in a year. No operation to replace/repair the aortic valve and yo replace the ascending aorta is minimally invasive. Thats just a marketing gimmick. Hello dear doctor. Im 33 from UK and have known about my BAV since I was around 18. My son is a baseball player, so that is good. Interestingly, bicuspid valves are one of the most common forms of heart valve disease. Thats important to keep in mind. Hi all, Now at 74, and after having AVR I am 10 weeks into the dont lift more than 10 pounds restriction. You would never know meeting these celebrities that they had a CHD. http://www.24hourgym.us. This has caused me a great deal of anxiety because I feel like I am being told to act like an old man before my time. 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. Thank you for what you do and for your responsiveness. Im hoping you can help with some guidance. That said, the recommendations dont address WHEN that screening should occur. This is thought to occur at a rate of about 0.1% per year in adults. My aortic root is 4.06 cms. Dear Dr. Creswell, Aortic dissection, a tear in the wall of the aorta.