Having a congenital heart defect means you are born with a problem with the heart's structure. Hi Larry, no tiredness, no dizziness, etc. "I had many of them, but I thought, 'Nah.' Perhaps you could print out the diagram, take it with you to the cardiologist, and ask him/her to circle the forms of exercise that would be safe in your case. The lines are the edges of the valve leaflets that open and close to let blood through. Its awesome to see you are diligent at responding to people also. He would be devastated to never be able to play again. The actress, 44, found out she had a leaky valve in 2002. I am a 28yr old male, and Ive just found out about my BAV. Thank you to every doc and nurse on my team.". The surgery involved a replacement heart valve made from a transplanted tissue sourced from his pulmonic valve. As of Monday, my BP at the echo appointment read 115/66. Thank you so much for your reply. The potential downside relates to durability. It sounds like youre off to a good start with your recovery. In 1997, Dr. Starnes led a team of three surgeons who replaced the aortic valve in then-actor Arnold Schwarzeneggers heart. Perhaps your primary care doctor or cardiologist could help you find another specialist in your area who could help with thatlook over all of the pertinent information and share an opinion about whats safe. In my practice, we often do such second opinions (about all sorts of issues) and I have found that athlete patients usually value the information that comes from such visits. At issue are the potential long-term effects of repeated episodes of high heart rate and high blood pressure that accompany intense exercise. Thank you very much for your thoughtful response. Thats about as specific as he got. Thanks a lot for your answers. My questions are Or, is it something that can wait until they get sports physicals in their teens? Since then I completed several 10k races and one half-marathon. We have decided to wait and watch. A bicuspid aortic valve: Most people are born with an aortic valve that has three leaflets (a tricuspid aortic valve). The problem is I have developed an aneurysm on my ascending aorta of 44mm. I like to practice MTB and running competitively in local races. Down side: durabilitythe borrowed valve doesnt last forever; it will deteriorate and need re-replacement at some point. This also assumes that there are no other cardiac issues or medical problems to consider. I cant wait to be back, completely rested with my heart recharged, my passion for the work ahead purposeful and my joy at lifes pleasures high," the statement continued. Ive yet to feel like Im back to my previous racing fitness that I once had. I too am looking for information on effects to performance since I am a Masters racing cyclist with 25 years of racing/riding long events. Im in Philly today but Im from Central NY. eventually was told everything was ok. First, Id encourage you to follow your doctors advice. Im a 42 year old male and have been a highly competitive distance runner since high school. Thats probably what the doctors are watching for. Lynn. The doc says the big risk is due to the blood thinners. I would encourage you to have further discussion with your doctor(s) about EXACTLY what forms of exercise are safe. 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). To much info to much detail so much information and advice. Its probably not possible to have too much information as you think about your situation. Glad to hear that youve found a surgeon and settled on a plan. "Until then, stay close.. The BAV is monitored annually, the doctor told me that Im currently in the grey zone but stable since I started the monitoring. We want our patients to know that whatever the level of care they need, our team will design and implement the health plan that works best for them, Starnes said. 2012; 109:1632-1636. Is this true that you wont be symptomatic with only mild AR? This have affected my son psychologically since he loves playing soccer what should I do. But, three heart valve surgeries! But, while doing my cardio stress test they discovered that I have a Bicuspid Aortic Valve. Almost 15 years ago skilled surgeons replaced my aorta valve with a new replacement valve. 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 . Jones' goal with the AHA is to help women "actively put themselves on the track to heart health." Probably a bicuspid aortic valve but there are many other possibilities Reply No pulmonary hypertension I certainly know runners, cyclists, and triathletes in that circumstance who are active and doing well. We dont have a crystal ball, though. 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 . The Best Amazon Presidents' Day Deals of 2023. They may also disrupt the normal flow of blood through the heart. Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital cardiovascular anomaly, occurring in 1-2% of the population. Ordinarily, race walking is considered to be in the same category of activity as long-distance running. Other heart parameters are very good (no bigger chamber or aorta). Substitute valves. 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. Again, this is a topic that is not yet well-researched. I wish you both all the best. Im 53. I mean, when competing, my average heart rate is close to 159 and my max HR is around 170. I had my BAV replaced in Feb. 2005 (porcine tissue) with a Dacron repair of the ascending aorta. "I had to make lifestyle and diet changes, she said. Get on with it. Valve replacement with either a tissue (bioprosthetic) valve or a mechanical valve is, by far, more common. Celebrities With Heart Disease - Celebrity Heart Health Survivors. I do not do any kind of sport and I want to have healthy life at make sure my situation not getting worse and I weight 90 kg. No LV chamber chamber dialiation, normal LV wall thickness, good LC systolic function, No regional LV wall motion abnormality. 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. Hi Dr. Creswell. You would never know meeting these celebrities that they had a CHD. 1. The GOPs failure to get the 118th Congress going shows how the performative nature of todays Trumpified party is making it incapable of governing. I realize that appointment availability for medical specialistsin your case, the pediatric cardiologistcan be tight. Anyway, I will continue with running as much as I can, and now I have an excuse for my lousy performance. Catch up on the years best movies, whether in theaters or now streaming at home. I started experiencing palpitations last year along with several instances of light-headedness. Approximately 1%-2% of the population are born with an aortic valve that only has two cusps. 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. While I no longer due very strenuous activities, I still play softball, golf, kayak, ski, and do play hockey every now and again. Thanks for sharing your sons story. The worse the narrowing, the greater will be the difference in blood pressure between the arms and the legs. I dont want to do any damage or compromise my homograft as the last surgery was a very difficult recovery. The numbness/tingling has me constantly worriedand the slight chest pains have me always thinking is that my BV or Aorta causing issues?. The current guidelines suggest that sports activities do not need to be restricted for patients with BAV who have no valve regurgitation/stenosis and who have no enlargement of the nearby aorta. I recently also did a 24hr EKG (holter) which was fine. He has mild AS and AR and is otherwise asymptomatic. Ive heard from a fair number of endurance athletes after having aortic valve operations of one sort or another. Obviously, I underwent emergency surgery to replace the aortic valve (Medtronic open pivot mechanical valve) and have the aneurysm repaired with a dacron graft. Normal biventricular size and function, no scar. If untreated, it can lead to blocked blood flow. I do not know aorta measurements. ( I was much worse though). So I saw an incredible surgeon and we are going for the Ross Procedure in Feb. Now that we know the type of surgery does this improve my chances or one day returning the CrossFit addicted life I miss? Thank you,dr Creswell, 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. In practice, the indications for aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis or severe aortic regurgitation are straightforward and uncontroversial. His cardiologist told him to focus on basketball. EKG and echocardiogram were done showing BAVD. I have 4 children and a great wife. In Jan 2016 My son was seen by the cardiologist and had some changes on his echo and the cardiologist said hey had mild progression of the aortic regurgitation( moderate to severe) with preserved LV function. This is true at rest and may be even more so during exercise. Or its the result of the cumulative effect of the aortic and mitral valve leakage? 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. Im a 33 yro female, diagnosed with BAV. I am 18 now, and I am interested in weight lifting. "Were saying to put the focus back on you and make a date with your heart.". Weight-lifting is only one example, but others would include golf, bowling, shooting, etc. I would think that moderate would be a good term for 8-12 rep range, pullups (unassisted), and pushups. I'm new to this group, so I'll be rather short. A CT scan made the diagnosis. I have recently found out that I have aortic regurgitation will soon be needing surgery. Glad to hear that youre recovering, Zdenko. Really helpful. What advise can you give to someone in my position? A bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect, occurring in approximately 1%-2% of the general population. An early indicator of BAV is a heart murmur, which is an abnormal sound caused by the turbulent . Hi Larry I am perfectly happy to stick to the 10km max distance for races, but my key concern is that if I do run some faster training sessions then I might have a sudden death. Aaron Boone (@AaronBoone), famous baseball player suffered from Bicuspid Aortic Valve. "I have heart disease, and I found out about five or four years ago, the singer, now 49, told PEOPLE in 2008. Diagnosed last year while looking at something else. Without careful study, I dont know what the true risks will be. Im am in stres ?! The procedure has the potential to bring the aorta to 4.3/4.4 and avoid further enlargement. Is it like keyhole surgery? In your experience how long are we talking before I have to have surgery and do beta blockers really help in prolonging the need for surgery. She said not until it gets to 5cm. With the blood thinning needed for a mechanical valve, serious bleeding may occur with injuries. These Famous People Survived Congenital Heart IssuesYou Can, Too, On-Site CLIA Certified Laboratory Services, Click here for COVID-19 & Vaccine Information, Actor, body builder and former California Governor, After winning three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, linebacker. thanks for sharing all this interesting info. Hi . Aortic valve repair is sometimes possible. BAV is the most common cause of heart disease present at birth and affects approximately 1.3% of adults. My son will be 16 next month. Its now 8 months after surgery and Im pretty much back in my every day life, was even granted to attend my pilot medical tests which are due in 2 weeks. A lot of people have it, she told Access Hollywood in 2009. 2) He can lead a normal life & can continue his training with regular echocardiography control (once in a year). Sadly, most school/sports physical exam programs dont include echocardiogram.and the absence of a heart murmur in a child wouldnt preclude the diagnosis. 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). The aortic root is moderately dilated (max 46mm sinus to opposite commissure but you can measure 48off axis). This international evidence-based nomenclature and classification consensus document is intended for universal use by clinicians, imaging specialists . Its really not strenuous, maybe 10 km/h and not more that 10 push ups at once. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. Sign up to receive an email when I add new content. Its weird because sometimes when Im resting I can feel a little weird fluttering.. Danny. If a large enough valve is implanted, there may be no noticeable impact on the ability of the heart to do extra work that comes with running (or any exercise). Im not surprised that youve received a conservative recommendation about exercise. Dietz?) March 15, 2023. Does the (unreplaced) aorta enlarge over time? I have an OnX mechanical valve. Something they suspect is also from birth but never previously picked up. Weve known the risks and my daughter has done well to avoid scrapping for the ball etc. I asked my surgeon and also the echocardiographist about my sports performance after full recovery, about 6 months after the surgery. I cant imagine life without activity, but Im not fool to risk my life, not any more anyway :). We go back in 3 months for another echo. Hey is a frustrated guy. 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. My daughter has played two years of varsity basketball already. Apparently this can work better than Losartan? I dont think theres a way to predict the future in this circumstance. I would not want yo distinguish between the various forms of static exercise that you mention. A cadaver if valve is then used to replace his pulmonary valve. Your surgeon will be in a good position to understand the exact details of operation that might be relevant when deciding whats safe.. 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. All severe aortic stenosis patients who are experiencing symptoms should ask for a TAVR evaluation. Anyway, talk to a surgeon who understands quality of life means. looking forward for healthy life without surgery any possibilities??? His favorite sports are football and baseball. Ive been told by my cardiologist that they think I should probably avoid competitive rowing and weight lifting. Every 6 months it is getting larger. Maybe thats not surprising, given that Im a heart surgeon and that many individuals with BAV need operation at some point. Thoughts. Enlarged lv 37/58 mm rf 65 fs 36 I would defer to Dr. Dietz since youve already contacted him. I did run 1-2 times/week for a 1.5 months now, the situation is getting a little better but still I feel like a 80 years old. We have made the decision to stop playing high school soccer and will reevaluate in 6 months to determine about Spring team soccer (less intense). Also, again, no stenosis or regurgitation, 35 mm ascending aorta. Thats the reason we try to place the largest possible substitute valve in patients who need replacement. Common symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting. This almost seems like an off the shelf answer and Id therefore be really keen to find out your thoughts? All they said is dont really do weight where you can feel the strain in your neck ?!? 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. Sometimes patients with mechanical aortic valves report that they lose a bit of their top-end athletic performance. While I recovered from surgery just fine, my return to my normal activity levels has been hampered by recurring arrhythmias, muscle atrophy during recovery, medication,and general inability to exert myself like I could prior to surgery. There are simply no reports that describe the experience of athletes returning to ECer ise (or training) after aortic dissection. Seems unlikely to me that there would be lingering effects that would make an EKG or chest x-ray abnormal. Do we have a choice with him only being 15??? We just saw them in January. While my surgeon said that I can do whatever normal healthy person would do my cardiologist gave me some restrictions basically not to raise my HR over 120. Everyones symptoms are different but I felt compelled to share mine. Ive starting going to the gym again and doing cardio with weights to tone up. Dr. Larry, very helpful content. The star's mother, Rita Owens, was diagnosed with heart failure after passing out while teaching art at a New Jersey high school in 2004. Body contact sports may pose some danger to athlete patients who take blood thinners. Garth was already familiar with heart diease before her diagnosis because it runs in her family. My aorta diameter is 4.0 cm and has increased by 0.8 cm (from 3.2 cm) in the past 5 years so the diameter is increasing rapidly. 2. I had a David Tirone Operation a couple of weeks ago to repair a BAV with aortic dilatation (49mm), and a small leakage.