Poll on causes of member's valve problems

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Poll on causes of member's valve problems

  • Congenital valve disease

    Votes: 29 39.2%
  • Marfan's disease

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • non-Marfan's aortic stenosis

    Votes: 2 2.7%
  • Rheumatic fever

    Votes: 11 14.9%
  • Mitral valve prolapse

    Votes: 7 9.5%
  • Result of myocardial infarction

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • endocarditis

    Votes: 7 9.5%
  • Connective tissue disorder (SLE, ED, or others)

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Unknown

    Votes: 7 9.5%
  • Other (please post comment)

    Votes: 5 6.8%
  • Radiation Treatment

    Votes: 3 4.1%

  • Total voters
    74
  • Poll closed .
Not much to debate here............

Not much to debate here............

I would definitely say that Katie's common AV valve is congenital. These results have gotten me to wondering, though..........AHA statistics quote that congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect and occur 1 in evey 100 births. I wonder what the true stats are if they included all of the congenital valve defects that are not discovered until much later in life..............hmmmm??? :confused: Hugs. J.
 
gijanet said:
I would definitely say that Katie's common AV valve is congenital. These results have gotten me to wondering, though..........AHA statistics quote that congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect and occur 1 in every 100 births. I wonder what the true stats are if they included all of the congenital valve defects that are not discovered until much later in life..............hmmmm??? :confused: Hugs. J.


Janet,

I didn't know CHD occurred as often as you noted. I know some sources divide valve problems into congenital and acquired and then proceed to subdivide the congenital into additional areas as well as also breaking the acquired into different categories such as endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, connective tissue diseases, viral, ischemic, and so forth. I just wonder if some of the congenital problems such as bi-cuspid aortic valves need some additional event to cause them to be problematic to the point that replacement becomes inevitable.

Ross, you mentioned your blood pressure as a cause for you. Is that what caused your aneurysm and then the aneurysm caused the valve to go bad? Or was the valve OK and just ended up having to be replaced because of the extensive surgery you needed because of the aortic disection? Just curious, as usual :).

Betty
 
I voted for MVP but it's really myxomatous degeneration with slight buckling, no prolapse. no regurg. My aortic valve and tricuspid regurgitate and I asked the cardio why and she said she "thinks" it's the same myxomatous degeneration process. So you can have myxomatous valves without mvp (yet). I also had a congenital defect but not valvular.
 
Due to HBP I had a silent MI some years ago. The HBP reading for many years was considered pre-HBP and part of the aging process and as a consequence no one was concerned! However, a year ago I went to ER for pulmonary edema and the dx was heart failure and damaged heart muscle, totally occluded LAD, 2 other arteries partially blocked, severe mitral valve regurg, and left ventricle enlargement. Ejection fraction was 13%.

Subsequently, medication and angioplasty of one coronary artery has reversed heart remodeling, the regurg is now moderate/severe and my EF is 50%. At the age of 73 I am thankful (after reading posts) that my medical problems have not caused pain and other problems. If symptoms become a problem, then I will need a bypass intervention on the LAD (there has been a collateral bypass developed over the years) and valve repair/replacement. :eek:
 
Harpoon said:
I selected the "OTHER" column because my tricuspid valve failed mainly because it was working too hard because my heart was "replumbed" because I was born with a congenital heart defect....
What he said. ;)
 
Chd

Chd

Chloes mitral valve was replaced after her surgery for her CHD (complete atrio ventricular septum defect) was not fully successful - ie her single AV valve wasn't separated into a mitral and tricuspid that worked well enough.

So i guess her cause was a CHD.

Emma
xxx
 
KenKeith,

I think you are one of the first who have responded as having valve problems secondary to an MI. I'm so glad you seem to be doing alright. How many years ago did this happen?
 
I'm told that my MV ruptured requiring emergency surgery. Since I've had an MVP for the past 10-15 yrs., we think that was the cause of the problem. St. Judes & now no more mvp... :)
 
Does anyone really know??

Does anyone really know??

bvdr said:
Janet,

I didn't know CHD occurred as often as you noted. I know some sources divide valve problems into congenital and acquired and then proceed to subdivide the congenital into additional areas as well as also breaking the acquired into different categories such as endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, connective tissue diseases, viral, ischemic, and so forth. I just wonder if some of the congenital problems such as bi-cuspid aortic valves need some additional event to cause them to be problematic to the point that replacement becomes inevitable.

Betty

Betty, MOD states 32,000 a year are born with some form of CHD. AHA states 35,000 AND 40,000 in two separate threads on their site (they can't even agree with themselves!) Tchin puts it at 1 in 100, and I trust tchin a lot more than the other two. I do truly wonder, though, if that number is really higher because of valve issues detected later in life. I think you are correct in saying many of those are "brought" on by additional events. I know that many adults with BAVs are first diagnosed during pregnancy - I would assume these are all women, heehee! :D but you never know........

Anyway, too late to further ponder these issues tonight. Hugs. J.
 
Sherry said:
Hi, Betty,
My mom tells me either myocarditis or rheumatic fever, leaning toward the latter. All I remember is being at Riley Hospital for Children for a heck of a long time in my early childhood.

I also did some time in Riley - last time was in 1968 when I had my first catherization on my congenital bicuspid valve.

Mark :)
 
Voted congenital

Voted congenital

Born with a "heart murmur". Parents were soon told it was "aortic stenosis". Severely stenotic at 18, had valvuloplasty. Now 30 and facing AVR surgery. In reading my medical records, I have found that it says bicuspid, but my most recent cardiologist says that 2 leaflets are fused; not truly bicuspid.

I voted congenital, but I am really not "diseased" BECCA
 
I had to pick unknown also. Never had rheumatic fever according to all of my 11 older brothers and sisters. Parents have already passed on, so I couldn't ask them.

I was never told I had a heart murmur either until the year 2000. I have gone for general checkups and blood work, every two years since I was in my 30's. So I would have thought with all those check ups a murmur would have been detected.


I started having problems with congestive heart failure in about 1999, though at the time i didn't know that's what it was. I was over weight, getting older and figured that was why i was having problems breathing and walking and not being able to catch my breath. I was treated as though I had asthma which I didn't by my family doctor. He then sent me to a pulmanary doctor who sent me to the cardiologist who said I needed my valve replaced. When the cardiologist asked me about rheumatic fever I said no. I did tell him I took Phen Fen in 1996 for a year. When he did my first Angiogram he came out of the procedure and said to my sister, "That D--M! Phen Fen" and shook his head. So unfortunately I do believe that may have caused the problem. Of course now I would never try to take another diet drug, even if you paid me!
 
Bob,

OK, you've confused me, unless the sinus infection I'm enjoying at the moment is preventing me from absorbing your wit. I thought bi-cuspid valves were half a clover ... can someone (ROSS?) draw a pretty picture for us?

I have a congenital four-leaflet aortic valve with premature calcification, borderline stenosis. Would this be considered a congenital cause of valve disease?

Cheers,
 
defect rather than disease?

defect rather than disease?

having just read through some of the posts, had a thought - I have always said CHD as being 'congenital heart DEFECT' not disease and I know a lot of other parents of CHD children who hate the term 'disease' being used about their children. Only saying as I noticed a couple of people pointing out they weren't 'diseased' and I feel the same about Chloe's heart too - she has a defect not a disease. Not a grumble though! Merely an observation! :)

Janet - the stats we have always been given are 1 in 100 children are born with a CHD too - and apparently more common in girls??!

Emma
xxx
 
Definition of disease according to NURSES REFERENCE LIBRARY

Disease: 1. A condition of abnormal vital function involving any structure, part, or system of an organism. 2. A specific illness or disorder characterized by a recognizable set of signs and symptoms, attributable to heredity, infection, diet, or environment.



As you can see, the definition is quite broad. I remember my cardiologist once saying that making the choice of timing for valve surgery was choosing when to trade one disease for another. Of course arguments for exceptions can be made for any broad statement.
 
rachel_howell said:
Interesting poll. Maybe somebody would want to post a follow-up poll for the congentitals, as to how many were bicuspid, etc. I am bicuspid and voted congenital.

I think that another interesting follow-up for the congenitals would be age at which we were diagnosed as such, followed by age at which VR or repair was required.

I was born with a stenotic BAV and voted congenital. Mine was apparent immediately at birth. I'm told the murmur was not exactly subtle....
 
bvdr said:
KenKeith,

I think you are one of the first who have responded as having valve problems secondary to an MI. I'm so glad you seem to be doing alright. How many years ago did this happen?

Became symptomatic about a year ago when I inhaled dry dust (sanding) while finishing a basement in a newly purchased townhouse. Dry coughing and hyperventilating at night waking up from sleep was the emercency condition. Unfortunately, that was the only warning of any problem.

The doctor said it was slowly developing so there cannot be any specific time! I believe if I hadn't been exercising 3 times a week for more than 25 years and maintained the proper weight, etc. I would not have made it, or I may have had earlier warnings and received treatment before heart muscle damage!

Thank you for your comment, and I do feel OK inspite of mucho medicine, and hope you do as well.
 
Mitral stenosis: HELP

Mitral stenosis: HELP

Does anyone have MITRAL STENOSIS? I've been searching for someone who might have the same heart problem as myself. I cant seem to find anyone. Right now i feel alone, as i am trying to make a huge decision on replacing my mitral valve.

Im a 25 year old female, trying to make decsions that will effect the rest of my life. I was using a different "support group/chat" and then was advised about this site. Hoping that maybe someone else here might of heard of what i have, and maybe possibly Find someone close to my age going through the same thing.

I could use some help.. Im suppose to have my valve replaced on June 1st. im excited to feel better!! BUt scared on which choice to make...

Diesel :(
 
Diesel,

I did have mitral stenosis which is why my mitral valve was replaced in 1980, when I was 28.

What are you trying to find out?
 
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