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 monitor a bicuspid aortic valve?

An echocardiogram is done to confirm a diagnosis of a bicuspid aortic valve. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to create video images of your heart in motion. It can show your doctor the aortic valve, the aorta, the heart chambers and the blood flow through your heart.

When should I be concerned about bicuspid aortic valve?

Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if: You develop new symptoms of aortic valve stenosis, such as chest pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. You have new or increased shortness of breath. You are dizzy or light-headed, or you feel like you may faint.

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%).

What is the life expectancy of someone 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.

Can you live a normal life 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 you drink alcohol with bicuspid aortic valve?

DON’T smoke or drink alcohol or caffeine. DON’T become dehydrated.

How do you fix a bicuspid valve?

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.

What are the symptoms of a bicuspid valve?

What are the symptoms of bicuspid aortic valve?

• Shortness of breath with exercise.
• Chest pain.
• Lightheadedness or fainting.
• Unable to exercise or loss of stamina.
• Tiredness (fatigue)

Can I exercise with 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.

Is a bicuspid valve serious?

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.

Can you live a full life with bicuspid aortic valve?

How serious is bicuspid aortic valve disease?

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.

Will TAVR help my aortic stenosis?

TAVR has shown to improve symptoms many people encounter daily due to severe aortic stenosis. TAVR decreases the workload of the heart and results in reduced shortness of breath, increased ability to tolerate activity, heightened energy levels and improved fluid balance within the body. It can also reduce the frequency of hospital stays.

What are the symptoms of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease?

Trouble breathing

Can I live with aortic stenosis?

Living With Aortic Stenosis. Patients with aortic stenosis can live full and rewarding lives. However, they may need to be monitored by a heart specialist with office visits and periodic testing. In many cases, aortic stenosis is discovered in patients before they develop any symptoms. These patients are told to watch for certain symptoms such as chest pain or discomfort, difficulty breathing, or lightheadedness or fainting spells.