Can you die from a bicuspid aortic valve?

Can you die from a bicuspid aortic valve?

Yes, about 30% of people with bicuspid aortic valve disease develop complications. They can be very serious, even life-threatening. This is why people diagnosed with BAVD should be under the ongoing care of a specialist in heart valve disease who can monitor changes in the heart, valves and aorta over time.

Is having a bicuspid aortic valve considered heart disease?

The most common congenital heart condition, bicuspid aortic valve disease affects about 1 to 2 percent of the population, says Bo Yang, M.D., an assistant professor of cardiac surgery at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center.

How long can you live with a bicuspid aortic valve?

1 Aortic stenosis is the most common clinically relevant consequence of BAV and usually presents between 50 and 70 years of age. 2 If left untreated, severe aortic valve stenosis is associated with an annual mortality of 25% and the mean duration of survival after diagnosis is 2–3 years.

What should you avoid with a bicuspid aortic valve?

Most people with BAV can safely exercise without significant restrictions. Strenuous isometric exercise (e.g., weight-lifting, climbing steep inclines, chin-ups), should be avoided if there is severe valve disease, or moderate to severe aortic ectasia.

How often should a bicuspid aortic valve be checked?

For patients with mild aortic dilation, surveillance aortic imaging is usually performed every 3-5 years.

How do you fix a bicuspid aortic valve?

Bicuspid aortic valve repair A bicuspid aortic valve may be repaired by reshaping the aortic valve leaflets allowing the valve to open and close more completely. Bicuspid aortic valve repair may be an option to treat leaking valves, but it can not be used to treat a stenotic or narrowed bicuspid aortic valve.

Can bicuspid aortic valve cause sudden death?

People with bicuspid aortic valve can also have abnormal heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation. In rare cases, such rhythms can cause sudden death.

Does bicuspid aortic valve make you tired?

Although some people with a bicuspid valve are asymptomatic, common symptoms include: Shortness of breath. Constant tiredness or fatigue.

How do I know if my bicuspid aortic valve is getting worse?

However, as aortic valve regurgitation worsens, signs and symptoms may include:

1. Fatigue and weakness, especially when you increase your activity level.
2. Shortness of breath with exercise or when you lie down.
3. Swollen ankles and feet.
4. Chest pain (angina), discomfort or tightness, often increasing during exercise.

What is the average age for aortic valve replacement?

Average patient age was 53 to 92 years. The researchers carried out several subgroups analyses to examine the influence of different factors. These included patient age, whether the study also included mechanical valves, and risk of study bias.

Does bicuspid aortic valve run in families?

A bicuspid aortic valve can be passed down in families (inherited). Because of this, doctors often recommend that parents, children and siblings (first-degree relatives) of people with a bicuspid aortic valve be screened with an echocardiogram.

How common is it to have a bicuspid aortic valve?

Approximately 2 percent of the population has BAVD, making it the most common congenital heart condition. While there is no known cause, it’s possible to inherit a bicuspid aortic valve.

Can bicuspid aortic valve be misdiagnosed?

A high level of agreement (84%) was present in BAV diagnosis. There were 156 (20.9%) echocardiograms that were no BAV (8.4%) or Indeterminate (12.4%). We identified three common reasons for misdiagnosis: poor image quality (n = 70, 44.9%), leaflet calcium (n = 44, 28.2%), and oblique axis imaging (n = 33, 21.1%).

Can you live with a bicuspid aortic valve?

Many people can live with a bicuspid aortic valve for their entire life, but there are those who may need to have their valve surgically replaced or repaired. When people are born with a bicuspid aortic valve, the bicuspid valve typically functions well throughout childhood and early adulthood.

Can bicuspid aortic valve cause headaches?

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a relatively common systemic connective tissue disorder that has been associated with other causes of headache, such as intracranial aneurysm and cervico-cephalic arterial dissection.

Can a bicuspid aortic valve cause high blood pressure?

A person with bicuspid aortic disease may also experience rapid changes in his or her blood pressure during activity or stress.

What are the symptoms of a bad aortic valve?

Signs and symptoms of aortic valve disease may include:

• Abnormal heart sound (heart murmur) heard through a stethoscope.
• Shortness of breath, particularly when you have been very active or when you lie down.
• Dizziness.
• Fainting.
• Chest pain or tightness.
• Irregular heartbeat.

How do doctors determine if you have valve insufficiency?

To diagnose aortic valve regurgitation, your doctor may review your signs and symptoms, discuss your and your family’s medical history, and conduct a physical examination. Your doctor may listen to your heart with a stethoscope to determine if you have a heart murmur that may indicate an aortic valve condition.