Are bad valves hereditary?

[bassadict69]

I scheduled my annual check-up & bloodwork yesterday for the first of April. For the echo, I am assuming I need to see a cardio for it?

I think all this is playing with my head. I have had high BP & have had it under control with meds for the longest then I jooined a gym & started exercising & cleaned up my diet & dropped about 40 pounds. I had been off the meds for almost a year & BP was still well under control.

Last week, I had to get back on them! I have been back on them over a week now & I still feel it is high. Just watching TV last night, I could feel/hear my pulse in my ear. There is absolutely no reason for it to be high...I HOPE!

Another thing I have noticed a few times is a fluttery feeling in my chest. I have noticed it a few times just out of the blue first thing in the morning & have briefly experienced it a couple of times while lifting weights at the gym this week. That is scaring the **** out of me & I am sure has something to do with the high BP!

 

[LUVMyBirman]

In my family, they are. It wasn't until after my issues that this was noted. I think this is a more common issue than not. Unless you have the diagnostic to prove disease, you many never know. Some folks become il and it becomes obvious.

 

[ottagal]

Dr. Chen led a study at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in 1997 to assess the frequency of familial clustering in congenital BAV. Here is the conclusion from the study:
"We demonstrated a high incidence of familial clustering in congenital BAV. We believe that the high rate of occurrence of the condition in immediate relatives justifies echocardiographic screening of first-degree relatives to anticipate and prevent future complications associated with this common cardiac malformation."

Here is the link to the abstract if anyone is interested.

http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/jac/article/PIIS0735109797003720/abstract

 

[olefin]

No one in my family history with heart valve problems. Mother died at 95, dad died of Parkinson at 76. Brother still alive at 92. Sister died of complications from knee replacement at 82. Our two daughters have no heart problems. Going way out in family tree... no heart valve problems.

 

[Natanni]

Bav

Bav

Husband's BAV replaced @ 34 years old with moderate-severe cardiomyopathy.

His Dad had a heart transplant in his 40s d/t cardiomyopathy with unknown cause, possible viral???? Surely pathologists would have passed on any info had his native heart been BAV. I have always found it suspicious however that both father and son had such similar deterioration at such a similar age.

Mayo clinic told us that all first degree famiy members of my husbands need to have a heart eval. Our daughter (12) had a murmur that was ruled pulmonary flow murmur after an echo done at the Mayo, she should outgrow it, no BAV.

Our son (17) has no heart issues.

 

[Christina]

Both my paternal grandparents and maternal grandfather died of a heart attack/heart issues. No autopsies were done to establish the exact cause of the heart faillures. That simply wasn't done during that time.
My Dad had his aortic valve replaced in 1986 in addition to 5 heart by-passes. He never was the same after that. I don't know any of the particulars of his valve problem. I've asked my mother but she doesn't know. My dad passed away in 1993.
I had my aortic valve replaced in 8/2000. As far as I know no one else in my family has any problems yet. My eldest daughter was checked and told that there are no valve problems with her heart. No echo was done though.
My younger daughter has no heart issues.
The kids' bio father is deceased

 

[ponygirlmom]

It can definitely be inherited. My daughter's doctor has scheduled an echo for her so that she will have a record of her heart at 18. The only reason for this is because of my BAV.

 

[Montrealer]

I was told mine was. Seems like on my mothers side BAV was a family history.

 

[ruthienc1]

Non-BAV aortic stenosis isn't supposed to be hereditary, but I'm not convinced. My brother and I both underwent AVR's within three weeks of each other. Our parents had heart issues, but other than heart attack, high blood pressure for my mother and one episode of congestive heart failure for my dad.....who knows? Valve issues may have been there , too. Our other brother tests out ok.