Questions about my Echo

[epstns]

One thing to keep in mind from the echo is that most of the measurements are derived from just a few physical statistics. It is all done from sound waves captured through the skin, muscle, etc. of the abdomen. I don't remember the exact calculations but I believe that the valve area calculation is in part based upon the velocity calculation, which in turn is based upon something else. In other words, it is possible for one measurement to change and cause changes in other calculations used to derive other measures. Maybe that's why they say that if any one of them gets out of range, then they want to act.

 

[Bonbet]

Yes, jasond1979, my BMI is under 25. My mean gradient June '16 was 40. March '17 it is 45. My max velocity went fro 4 to 4.5 in the same time frame.
Feels like I held steady for years and then all of a sudden things worsened.
epstns; Yes, the AVA numbers are derived from a complex formula of other measurements. They can't just measure the size of the valve opening-they calculate it. One variable that
has kept us wondering about "accuracy" is that my valve deterioration produces an "eccentric" jet, which makes it hard to nail down the variables for the AVA calculation.
I am scheduled for May 24th at Mayo to get an OnX valve. It's kind of a relief actually - after all these years.Still NO symptoms! Bonbet

 

[dornole]

The "no symptoms" idea is that once they see a certain risk pattern of measurements, the heart can start to become damaged in ways that are NOT fixable. So in my case (I have mitral), if they see that pattern getting in certain ranges, or definitely if they start to see the left ventricle dilating, they want to prevent damage from happening and operate whether you "feel fine" or not.