New Discovery regarding Calcification

[neo]

Saw this article about a new discovery regarding a possible explanation of why heart valves and arteries calcify. Calcification has been such a mystery, hopefully this will lead to some breakthrough treatments. Anyone going to ask your doc to get your Notch1 checked out?

http://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2015...ssue-bone.html

 

[epstns]

Interesting. . .

Seems to be the beginning of explaining calcification of native/natural valves. I doubt that this particular mechanism would explain how or why tissue prosthetic valves also calcify, as their tissue is no longer living tissue.

Have I missed something?

 

[neo]

Maybe because there's no Notch1 gene on the prosthetic tissue to regulate the calcium?

 

[epstns]

Maybe more that the tissue on the prosthetic valve is no longer living tissue. Some day they may make valves out of some form of synthetic cloth or other flexible membrane. They might be able to develop a fabric that is strong enough to last a lifetime, yet not attract or support clots. Hmmm, wonder if I can patent an idea like that.

 

[neo]

If we go in together in the idea! It seems like TAVR technology will improve once they start using engineered tissue on the stents instead of animal tissue. That could theoretically grow and live with the patient, and be done very quickly in the cath lab

 

[Cosyloft]

The calcium on the replacement valve must be due to the calcium in the blood contaminating the replacement valve

 

[Paleowoman]

The calcium on the replacement valve must be due to the calcium in the blood contaminating the replacement valve

The blood always has a very fixed calcium level - calcium is essential for many electircal processes in the body and the level of it in the blood is no reflection of how much calcium a person is getting from their diet. I know this from repeated discussions on an osteoporosis forum I'm on as people there frequently have their calcium levels checked and think it's to do with whether or not they're getting enough calcium from their diet or supplements - it isn't. High blood levels of calcium usually indicate something wrong with the parathyroid gland. If the levels of calcium go too high or too low it is a very serious condition for the body to be in.

Calcium can be deposited in the coronary arteries or anywhere where there is turbulent blood flow, as in bicuspid aortic valve or even in replacement valve (there is turbulent flow in my replacement valve). Vitamin K2 can help the body put calcium where it should go, ie bones. The bones are the body's storehouse of calcium. If a person should not have enough calcium from diet the body will take it from the bones to keep the blood levels of calcium in the tight control it needs to be.

 

[cldlhd]

I wonder if the connection to calcium being deposited in areas of turbulence has to do with the endothelia getting damaged.

 

[Paleowoman]

I wonder if the connection to calcium being deposited in areas of turbulence has to do with the endothelia getting damaged.

I suspect that might be so, just like cholesterol deposits are where the endothelia gets damaged (though there isn't endothelia on valves is there ?). Neither the calcium nor the cholesterol are guilty. They are like the police and ambulance who appear at the scene of an accident - if an alien looked down on an accident he might consider the police and ambulance the cause of the accident as they are always there where there is an accident. It's the same with the calcium and cholesterol - at least that is my understanding of current research. The 'trick' is to avoid damage to the endothelia in the first place and I understand that inflammation is a big cause of damage to it, but I don't know how we with bicuspid or replacement valves can avoid turbulence around our valves. Certainly studies done with statins to lower cholesterol have not made any difference to the rate of calcification in bicuspid valves.

 

[neil]

All clever stuff most of it goes over my head lol but then so do most things lol

 

[Penny]

Interesting. . .

Seems to be the beginning of explaining calcification of native/natural valves. I doubt that this particular mechanism would explain how or why tissue prosthetic valves also calcify, as their tissue is no longer living tissue.

Have I missed something?

Question, do mechanical calcify?

 

[pellicle]

Question, do mechanical calcify?

Not that I have ever heard of, there has to be some advantage to needing warfarin right?

 

[epstns]

I've not heard of mechanical valves calcifying, either. I've heard of pannus growth (scar tissue) growing around a mechanical valve, and impeding its operation, but calcification seems to be reserved for tissue valves - both native/natural valves and prosthetic. The rate of calcification is the variable, and the only thing we "think" we know is that calcification seems to happen more rapidly in younger patients. This gives rise to the theory that the immune system plays a role in valve calcification, as it is known that the immune systems of younger patients are more active.

 

[cldlhd]

Is pannus an issue with tissue and/or repaired native valves also?

 

[pellicle]

Is pannus an issue with tissue and/or repaired native valves also?

pannus is a type of scar tissue that reacts to the surface of the mechanical valve tube, it may happen with tissue (I've not hear of it though) and with respect to repairs to the best of my knowledge no.

 

[epstns]

My understanding parallels that of pellicle. I've not heard of any tissue valvers or repair patients who had problems with pannus growth. I've only heard of it from patients with mechanical valves.

 

[cldlhd]

pannus is a type of scar tissue that reacts to the surface of the mechanical valve tube, it may happen with tissue (I've not hear of it though) and with respect to repairs to the best of my knowledge no.

Thanks, I try to learn at least as much as I forget each day..,

 

[Paleowoman]

I just read a very interesting article that statin therapy increases coronary calcification ! And that Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic has turned this around to say that calcification is a good thing. He says that to defend his failth in statin therapy. Here's the article from Dr M Kendrick: http://drmalcolmkendrick.org/2015/04/07/dead-men-dont-bleed/ and here's the article from the Cleveland Clinic which shows that Dr kendrick wasn't misreading anything: ​http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/842499#vp_1 Who would have believed it - crazy.