How do you prolong the life of your new tissue valve?

[hansong]

I think Paleogirl's right on the money concerning effect of diet on cardiovascular health.

My wife and I started eating low-carb in January 2003 when we discovered her triglycerides were sky-high. Her older sister had had problems with cholesterol-lowering medications and she wanted to try everything before taking meds. All of her blood lipids dropped dramatically within two months to well within normal ranges, eating all things that the so-called conventional wisdom of the medical world said would cause fatal atherosclerosis. Not to brag, but I didn't have any blockages in my coronary arteries when they went poking and prodding in my heart before my surgery.

Calcification's a different story, but it stands to reason that the body's hormonal processes, and interactions between processes, have to be affected by intake of hormones like vitamins K2 and D, especially when there's a deficit of a necessary nutrient. Researchers are now deciding that A and D and K2 complement and interact with each other in ways that are only dimly understood, so the received conventional wisdom of the past is up for a little revision. The problem is, the medical establishment has a lot invested in the old conventional wisdom and they're not going to give up their basic organizing principles without a fight. So it's a good thing there are some unconventional types out there pushing the edge of the envelope.

Gordon

 

[Superbob]

One can harm one's health by reading too much conflicting advice by self-declared "experts," some of it pure garbage.

The truth is, contrary to the blogger, oatmeal is good for diabetics. It is full of complex carbs, and so slows the rise of blood sugar. (Anything you eat temporarily raises blood sugar. The question is how fast and how high.)

So do what you want, but I will be continuing to eat my oatmeal (which also is helpful in reducing cholesterol)....

Footnote: Here is something from WebMD -- considered a reliable source -- which mentions this subject:

http://diabetes.webmd.com/features/diabetic-diet-6-foods-control-blood-sugar

 

[Luana]

Sorry, Bob, but oatmeal sure is not good for this diabetic. Some things raise blood sugar a whole bunch more than others, and they're darn near always carbohydrates, but, geesh, diabetes wouldn't be a disease that has to do with faulty carbohydrate metabolism, now would it? My goal is to keep blood sugars as close to normal as possible, and I can't do that with oatmeal. I'm sure I could pull up many thousands of articles online about how good oatmeal and whole grains are for diabetics, but having been there and done that with lousy results, it means nothing to me.

Boy, if you think the debate about tissue vs. mechanical gets heated here, go to a diabetes forum and feel the heat about the debate of low-carb diets vs. regular.

 

[tobagotwo]

There's also a classic confusion going on here: cardiovascular health vs cardiac valve health. Things that are very good for cardiovascular health have no positive influence on cardiac valve health. Fortunately, they're not known to harm cadiac valves either, so you can be good to your vascular system without worrying about your valve.

The two are completely separate, although they live in the same system.

There is no correlation between the apatitic concretions (mostly calcium and phosphorus) that collect on a damaged valve and the spongey atheromae that build up on the walls of cardiac arteries. A valve calcification is a concretion. In some instances, very small spots of lipids may become trapped in it, but it's basically like the hard, brittle, tan crud that builds up on your showerhead in places with a lot of minerals in the water. Atheromas grow based in soft cholesterol and don't pick up any calcium or crusty nature until they are already well developed.

Many valve patients with heavily calcified valves have no atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis (me, for example). Bicuspid valvers very commonly share this trait, which appears to be genetically linked. By far, most people with clogged arteries don't have any issues with their valves. Seems simple: apples and oranges.

So why did this myth grow so quickly? For some time, statin manufacturers tried to cash in on the notion that the two growths were fundamentally similar. If statins helped control arterial buildup, maybe they could slow valve calcification as well. Based on this premise, a large number of cardiologists were convinced to prescribe statins to their valve patients to slow the formation of valve calcification, or to extend the life of their new valves by warding calcification away before it could happen. It was years before it was determined that it didn't work, and a lot of statins were sold in during that time.

Several large studies (mostly funded by statin manufacturers), including the SEAS trials showed that statins (including Lipitor) have no effect on the speed or amount of valve calcification, although the statin groups did have fewer cardiovascular events from arterial blockages. The results could not have been more clear that the two processes are entirely independant.

Some cardiologists still push statins on their valve patients even now, despite some risks, because they are either unaware of these results or have been convinced otherwise by statin representatives, who stood/stand to gain significant additional sales through this misunderstanding.

Best wishes,

 

[Lynlw]

Thanks Bob, That pretty much is what all of the doctors I've been asking about valve/conduit calcification have told us, since Justin was just a toddler.

 

[Paleowoman]

The truth is, contrary to the blogger, oatmeal is good for diabetics. It is full of complex carbs, and so slows the rise of blood sugar. (Anything you eat temporarily raises blood sugar. The question is how fast and how high.)

Are you a diabetic ? Have you tested your blood glucose after eating oatmeal ? And what is your HbA1c ?

Soon after I was diagnosed with diabetes I was sent to see the practice dietician. That expert told me to eat either jacket potatoes, brown rice or wholemeal bread with every meal - all those complex carbs. She also told me to eat dried apricots. What she told me was to eat all the things which raised my blood glucose far too high and which were actually the cause of my diabetes. I am a thin Type 2 diabetic, I have always been thin, verging on underweight in fact (BMI 18.5). Before diagnosis I ate a complex carbohydrate diet, I used to make my own wholemeal bread, eat brown rice, never ate anything processed or ready made or junk food. I was already eating the recommended complex carbohydrate diet, had been for years and years, and I had developed diabetes. Now that I am on a low carbohydrate diet, with no grains at all, with the only carbohydrates coming from non-starchy veggies, my diabetes is extremely well controlled....HbA1c 5.3%

Pity there doesn't appear to be anything we can actively do to slow down progression of calcification of bicuspid or replacement valves. I will still try !

 

[Lily]

I was thinking about the oatmeal. There are different types of course, and different processing.

Some include: The old fashioned rolled oats, which are very different from the chopped up quick-cooking kind. And then there are the fantastic Irish steel cut oats -- a favorite of my husband's and mine. And they have a chopped up quick-cooking kind of those also.

I suppose the more natural, less chopped up and less processed ones would provide a steadier digestion and more even internal processing?

 

[NealR]

Valerie,

When discussing this my surgeon, cardioligist, and GP, I get pretty much the same answer. Diet, excersise, and take your meds. All say around 10 years, sometimes less, sometimes up to 20 years. The older you are the better.

Recently, I listen on my XM radio to a channel called Dr. Radio, (119). Two carido-thoracic surgeons who cover a wide variety of heart issues. The show is called Ribicove and Schwartz. Interesting conversations, and very thorough discussions between them, guest and callers. From what I learned from listening to them, is that the new generation of heart valves are lasting longer, upwards to the 20 year trend. Something to the tune of better anti-calcification treatment of the valves themselves. More so, (and I don't want to offend anyone with a mechanical valve), is that neither one of them can recall implanting anything other than a tissue over the last couple of years. They further went on to explain this is as much geogrpahic preference as it is surgeon preference.

Always a lot of chatter about valve choices on this forum, and some sensitivity surrounds this one way or another. I had my valves put in last October, and am always researching about extending them, but I also know that at some point in time, they will indeed, have to be replaced.

Look, Barbara Walters is 80, and had her valve replaced. From what I have learned, and this is only from reading the press, she is doing remarkedly well and intends on resuming work in the fall. That is pretty good. For me, I figure I made it through the first surgery,,,,,I can make it through another, hopefully another isn't needed for 15 years.

Diet, excersize, watch the BP, and I think you will do just fine.

Good luck in your recovery.

 

[jendyk]

I have a 17 year warranty on my Bovine Aortic Valve. However, my surgeon told me that there are instances of people who are still living after 30 years with a bovine aortic valve. Apparently being healthy is important.

George