BAVs - is there a hereditary factor?

[Luana]

Perhaps it's just coincidental, but my mom was born with a BAV and had it replaced when it developed severe stenosis by the time she was about 50. I had mine replaced at age 53. I had no stenosis, but developed severe regurgitation. Coincidence or heredity???

Jeff, did you have a BAV, too? If not, I would think it is coincidence. While heart valve replacement is not all that common, it's certainly not rare either.

I have done a bit more poking around about BAV and it's believed there is a strong genetic component, but apparently the genetic marker has not been found.

 

[Orangebrittainy]

I am definitely having my son checked for any heart problems. I mostly want him to be able to live life educated and as healthy as possible should he have a BAV. I remember being heavily restricted because the doctor's didn't know any better. I want him to do things to strengthen his heart if its weak in any way, as opposed to me not being active for the first 18 years of my life, and struggling trying to get healthy for the six years since I found out I could actually be active.

 

[JeffM]

Jeff, did you have a BAV, too? If not, I would think it is coincidence. While heart valve replacement is not all that common, it's certainly not rare either.

I have done a bit more poking around about BAV and it's believed there is a strong genetic component, but apparently the genetic marker has not been found.

Luana, Yes, mine was bicuspid also.

 

[nate_c]

Sounds like this question has already been addressed pretty thoroughly, but I thought I'd add one other angle. I didn't have a BAV, but I did have a congenital defect of my AV that led to the same end result (AVR). My docs told me that my children, my siblings, and my sibling's children are twice as likely to have valve problems as a "normal" person and should therefore be checked out. Not sure how that translates across to the more typical BAV cases.

 

[Lily]

Sounds like this question has already been addressed pretty thoroughly, but I thought I'd add one other angle. I didn't have a BAV, but I did have a congenital defect of my AV that led to the same end result (AVR). My docs told me that my children, my siblings, and my sibling's children are twice as likely to have valve problems as a "normal" person and should therefore be checked out. Not sure how that translates across to the more typical BAV cases.

There seems to be "something" in my family maybe along this line, as I mentioned before no other known bicuspids (other than me), but some recurring weakness with the aortic valve eventually necessitating replacement for some family members and several of us also have those very clean arteries that seem common with bicuspids, despite having some high cholesterol issues.