When there is narrowing (stenosis) or leakage (regurgitation) of the aortic valve, the heart must do extra work. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. We just saw them in January. No one loves life more than I do, read the statement. Latifah has taken on her mom's caregiving duties, along with relatives and a nurse, whenever she is on the east coast. 1,3,4,15 It can lead to chronic heart failure and increase the risk of acute aor-tic syndromes and sudden cardiac death.15 Michelena et al16 studied 212 cases of asymp tomatic bicuspid . They all cause a small bit of obstruction to blood flow as it leaves the heart. I was disappointed [when I was diagnosed]. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Unfortunately, I really cant point you to such studies. In general, we recommend no weight lifting in patients with BAV if the aortic diameter is greater than 4.0 cm. The thing that keeps me sane is that I can jump on a treadmill or go play basketball for a few hours and feel relatively normal. Down side: must take blood thinners to prevent blood clots from forming on mechanical valve. Im not surprised that youve received a conservative recommendation about exercise. His aorta is lightly enlarged. Great article! Theo Wargo/Getty. 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. Hi, Fantastic website, there is very little actual information on this on the web. I was running 9 to 10 minute miles. Sign up to receive an email when I add new content. This is such an interesting blog, I wish I had known of it sooner. I was diagnosed with BAV about four years ago now by fluke whilst looking into my high blood pressure (I was only 24 at the time so I underwent a lot of testing due to my age and HBP the conclusion was it is hereditary, with many members of my family with HBP). 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 . They ruled out Marfans syndrome because his aorta was dilating. I continued playing hockey routinely until I was in my late twenties. We are now seeing moderate stenosis, hence replacement in the not too far distant future. I just thought it was muscle strain., My body cleared the blockage itself, said the game show host, who credited the aspirin he was taking for what he thought was simple muscle pain. Is this a normal side effect of the heart condition or not? Have been told to keep away from exercises that strain me, ie heavy weights. Dear Dr. Creswell, Dr. Creswell, Considering the results of my stress test and TOE, do you think it could be my heart and should I seek 2nd opinion. CT or MRI may be more accurate. After an echo and an MRI with and without contrast, I found out that I have a BAV with mild aortic and pulmonic valve regurgitation. 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. Only restrictions are no weights greater than 100 pounds or heavy contact sports. My exercise is limited to 30 minutes of moderate carido, with no weights. Theres no reason to not be CPR certified.. If I ever need surgery to replace my root , I understand that there is an element of complexity for such surgery, but after surgery, is life expectancy for individuals assumed to be shortened at all ? And, of course, its important to monitor over time the function of the prosthetic aortic valve and the size of the aorta. Dear Doctor, Ive thought that the next visit to the pediatrician would be a good opportunity to discuss the issue. 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. Hello dear doctor. diagnosed wid BAV AND AS WITH AR Left Ventricular Mass (LV mass/BSA 93g/m2| 114 g/m2, Septal thickness 0.93 cm|1.0-1.1 cm, Posterior wall thickness 0.93 cm|1.0 cm). We live at 6,500 ft (elevation) so Im not sure if its affecting my blood pressure when doing normal things. It might be wise to have discussion with your doctor about the particular activities youre concerned about. Barb. My son will seek a repair when his conditions deteriorate. The incidence of normally functioning bicuspid aortic valves is 0.6% to 0.9%.5 . Would you recommend taking beta-blockers at this stage? ps. Given that risk, the current American guidelines recommend screening those children with echocardiogram to identify affected children. On Aug 30, 2017 I passed out at the gym and subsequently airlifted due a large abscess and valve dehisence and underwent another operation and now have a homograft. My daughter (16 y/o) has a St Jude mechanical mitral valve (adult size valve even though she has had it for 7 years). Here is a link to a diagram that categorizes sports according to their dynamic and static components: http://www.athletesheart.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Classification-of-Sports-300217.png. Normal pericardium, no pericardia effusion He has been restricted from playing contact sports since hey was 10. Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease does not usually cause symptoms. eventually was told everything was ok. "I feel fantastic and have already been walking the streets of Cleveland enjoying your amazing statues. Log in, September 26, 2013 By Larry Creswell, MD 155 Comments. Congenital heart issues affect approximately 40,000 people born each year in the U.S. and are one of the most common types of birth defects. Thanks in advance. I cant distinguish if its muscle pain or somewhere inside chest, its not sharp or dull, somewhere in between. He left it pretty vague. Yes, there are many athlete patients whove had operation for BAV/aortic replacement and returned to a variety of sports. The reason I ask is my Cardiologist said it looked fine in the echo imaging, but (and correct me if Im wrong please) I got the impression from what you said in this article that a CT or MRI is necessary for aortic diameter measurement. Editorial Review: Andrea Cohen, Editorial Director, Baldwin Publishing, Inc. His whirlwind romance with Katherine Schwarzenegger has resulted in a rather large ring on her finger. After his procedure, Arnold posted the picture above with the following statement, "Thanks to the team at Cleveland Clinic, I have a new aortic valve to go along with my new pulmonary valve from my last surgery. She said it could still be 6 months to a year just depending on if there are any more changes to this next echo. My son is devastated, depressed, and wanted to play ball in college. His BAV is causing very little back flow. I didnt get it.". I suspect it had been leaking for a long time, as I felt no different; however, my recovery from long runs took longer than in the past (old age?). In your experience, can patients with BAV go a lifetime without having AVR? We generally limit weight-lifting (or other sports/exercise that have a high static component) for athlete patients with BAV and mild enlargement of the aorta. I wish you both all the best. How severe are the problems? Consult your doctor to see if there are any restrictions that would be specific to your case. Thats an issue to pursue with your sons doctor(s). It is believed that Schwarzenegger had a bicuspid aortic valve which led to a Ross Procedure operation performed in 1997. 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). Im followed by a cardiologist who only says not too much weight lifting.. Have completed an excercise stress test and signed off as ok on reaching level 13. This is an unfortunate situation for the athlete patient because the consensus guidelines do not yet recommend operation, yet advise against strenuous sports activities. I would like to thank you very much for providing me with your thoughts. Athletes with BAV and enlargement of the aorta to greater than 4.5 cm can participate safely only in low intensity sports (eg, golf, bowling, billiards). I dont believe there is any evidence that would help us know if some forms are safer than others. when I discussed this with my Dr. he reassured me that its not my heart causing it. We dont have a crystal ball, though. In some cases a particular arrhythmia that is responsible for your feelings of palpitations or light-headedness could be identified.and options for treatment could be presented. In the simplest terms, a bicuspid aortic valve can be a serious heart valve disorder in which the valve only has two leaflets, or flaps, that control blood flow through the heart. Finally, many patients are able to return to their sports after successful operation. And my wife is screaming at me every time I try to exercise :)). I wouldnt hesitate to register your concern with your sons doctor about waiting a few weeks. I had AVR 3 years and 4 months ago. Your sons doctors are undoubtedly experts at pediatric patients. Most patients (like me), however, start to experience problems during their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Its conceivable that an echocardiogram a week afterwards could be abnormal simply because of the race. We all appreciate it. I had an exercise tolerance test recently and they seemed happy with my results so fingers crossed thats a good indication I can carry on training hard! 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. However, some people are born with an aortic valve with only two leaflets, known as a bicuspid aortic valve. Most patients spend about a week in the hospital after operation and then are able to go home. Thank you to every doc and nurse on my team!". The lines are the edges of the valve leaflets that open and close to let blood through. Aortic stenosis will limit athletic performance at the top end. A cadaver if valve is then used to replace his pulmonary valve. running? In January 2021, she underwent open heart surgery to install an aortic valve. This procedure has the particular benefit that no artificial valve (with the disadvantages described above) needs to be used. Body contact sports may pose some danger to athlete patients who take blood thinners. It sort of flutters open and shut. It is very informative. . Bicuspid aortic valve is a heart problem present at birth. Want to get a head start on your Oscar predictions? 2020 Update: Arnold Gets An Aortic Valve Re-Replacement! Arnold Schwarzenegger Helped Greta Thunberg Get a Tesla, Where to Watch the Biggest 2023 Awards Contenders. Athletes should have detailed discussion with their doctors about any prudent limitations to exercise after operation and settle on a mutually agreeable plan. Since Im very active in sports, Id like to have your opinion on it. Since Im not close to good medical care, are their specific things that I will start to notice if my heart valve is causing a problem? If untreated, it can lead to blocked blood flow. Have you heard about the PEARS procedure? 7373 Perkins Rd This can lead to stretching apart of the valve leaflets and leakage at the valve, known as regurgitation. 2023 Cond Nast. "Know the symptoms ladies," she wrote. What advise can you give to someone in my position? You didnt mention your age, but obviously youd hope that whatever operation is performed.lasts a lifetime. Hi dr. Mild aortic valve disease without symptoms may only require frequent health checkups. I am also in grey zone waiting for surgery. Also twice a week I try to do 40-minute workouts like planks, pushups and so on (with my bodyweight). (Or do I just need to train even harder??). California Governor and movie star of films including The Terminator and The Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger marked the 10-year anniversary of his heart surgery at USCs Health Science Campus. Bicuspid aortic valve with Marfan and other HTAD when the ascending aorta is dilated >45 mm. The cardiologist told us at that appointment that we needed to start considering surgery to repair his valve. Thanks for my previous response a few weeks ago. I am now in no mans land of not needing immediate surgery (per the pressure number in left ventricle) and not being able to run more than 30 min.