Im 39 also diagnosed with BAV when I was 31. Do you think the jiu-jitsu (e.g. In my early 40s I thought that I was getting out of breath more than I should and eventually began to feel weak or nervous during a game, but only on Sunday. Elite triathletes and heart problems Can you tell me what is to much, are push ups or pull ups heavy lifting, is 3 time per week 5 km running with 10-12 km/h pace to much? I have also spoken with Boston Childrens Hospital who have been very helpful and enlightening. How are you? Bethesda Conference reports), even though there is no certain link between sports and the aorta enlargement. I think we should have a choice??? Just double checking. A few hours after helping the woman, she began to experience chest aches, soreness in both arms, nausea and clammy skin. The surgeon I used told me that he had performed keyhole surgery once but wasnt sure if it would be of much benefit to me. what recommend me? I had a Bentall with mechanical valve done in Feb 2017. Activities are not usually restricted for athlete patients with mild aortic stenosis. Thanks in advance. Also suggested taking low dose of beta-blockers although I have been told the effectiveness has not been proven. I do not have Julys echo results yet. Do you think the weights Im doing at the moment seem OK with those results ? Perhaps that info will give you some basis for discussion with your cardiologist and surgeon regarding the type of valve that is used for your re-replacement. Several famous people were reported to have had bicuspid valves: former first Lady Barbara Bush, the comedian Robin Williams, and California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many heart conditions can be controlled or repaired once theyre diagnosed. Max Page - Child Actor (Darth Vader in VW Superbowl ad) - Tetralogy of Fallot. I hadnt heard about the technique previously. Something they suspect is also from birth but never previously picked up. To me, you know your own body and what you can manage whilst straining as little as possible. Glad Ive found this website! This is true at rest and may be even more so during exercise. Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has achieved satisfactory outcomes in the selected patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), predominately type 1 BAV (~90%). In some cases, the aortic valve can be repaired and the enlarged aorta can be replaced with a Dacron tube. In late March, Schwarzenegger was heavily involved in a chess tournament with his donkey Lulu. In some cases a particular arrhythmia that is responsible for your feelings of palpitations or light-headedness could be identified.and options for treatment could be presented. I ran competively for a division 1 NCAA university through college and have maintained a high level of physical fitness since. I have: For most athletes with only mild enlargement of the aorta and no problems with the aortic valve, there should be no activity restrictions. Perhaps the doctor could contact the specialist and request an earlier appointment, if that made sense. Im keeping my heart rate below 150, 160 at most but just for short period of time. My personal approach to endurance athletes in this situation would be to offer operation if the patient wanted to continue to participate in endurance sports (after operation) and was willing to assume the risks of operation. Doing nothing wont be great for my heart and wont extend my life neither probably.. ", Braxton is a survivor of pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart. Willie Moses In general, we recommend no weight lifting in patients with BAV if the aortic diameter is greater than 4.0 cm. I had a cardio version to correct the AFIB. Kimberly was born with an abnormal valve, but didn't begin to develop symptoms until her 40s. Eventually I will need valve replacement. I do think that aspects of the martial arts are strength-related. He is very athletic. These Famous People Survived Congenital Heart IssuesYou Can, Too, On-Site CLIA Certified Laboratory Services, Click here for COVID-19 & Vaccine Information, Actor, body builder and former California Governor, After winning three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, linebacker. The typical symptoms are fatigue or shortness of breath, particularly with exertion. Approximately 1%-2% of the population are born with an aortic valve that only has two cusps. Athletes in this circumstance should collect opinions from their doctor(s) and make very careful considerations before returning to exercise. Aaron Boone (@AaronBoone), famous baseball player suffered from Bicuspid Aortic Valve. The first pic showed the action and comedy legend in a supine position with a thumbs-up, while the next three featured a lovely autumn walk, taking in the sights. (Or do I just need to train even harder??). Finally some solid information about exercise and life post AVR, thank you very much for that. Thank you for answering these questions. My aorta diameter is 4.0 cm and has increased by 0.8 cm (from 3.2 cm) in the past 5 years so the diameter is increasing rapidly. Your web site and the links have much good information. My average weekly training plan includes 50k of running (5 days) with 80% done on pulse below 154-152 and only 20% done at pulse about 175-179 bpm. Advances in treatment have allowed many babies with known congenital heart disease to survive well into adulthoodand many people who have congenital heart disease go on to live long, productive lives. Patients whove had aortic valve replacement and/or replacement of the aorta will require life-long monitoring by their doctor, with periodic echocardiogram and/or chest CT scanning. For some reason I did not receive a notification of your reply, so apologies that I havent thanked you before. Here are some celebrities that experienced severe heart valve defects and had to have either heart valve replacement and heart valve repair surgery. Options for operation I know I will need it replaced. We have contacted the Cleveland Clinic to learn more and will report back soon. I was diagnosed with BAV, with regurgitation, no stenosis, at age 63. He is now 15. Pathology. Functionally bicuspid aortic valve (type 1). His only complaint or change is shortness of breath with stairs. Because it was just a cardiologist, not a sports cardiologist or physiotherapist. However, this is not always the case. I agree that its somewhat surprising that more detailed information isnt available. She said it could still be 6 months to a year just depending on if there are any more changes to this next echo. What Is Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease? I had a Medtronic Freestyle valve fitted in May 2002, did exactly as directed regarding exercise etc. Still it puzzles me that for you as for me it seems to degrade more after the diagnosis for a condition we have since birth. I have ramped up my walking to 30 minutes, keeping my heart rate under 100 bpm. These leaflets open and close to regulate blood flow from the heart into the aorta, and prevent blood from flowing back into the heart. And, of course, its important to monitor over time the function of the prosthetic aortic valve and the size of the aorta. Should I stop jiu-jitsu as it is a mix of anaerobic exercise (which I hear is bad) and aerobic exercise (which I hear is good)? Consensus guidelines suggest that athletes with mild aortic regurgitation and no other heart problems can participate fully in their sports. I am 31 years old and had my BAV repaired at The Cleveland Clinic in 1999 when I was 15. I was diagnosed age 4 and am now 35. Finally, athletes are not spared. While I do not work out regularly, my job as a construction worker is somewhat strenuous. thanks for sharing all this interesting info. A bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is an aortic valve that has only two leaflets instead of three. Your doctors will be in the best position to offer advice because they will be most familiar with your case. Bicuspid aortic valve with Marfan and other HTAD when the ascending aorta is dilated >45 mm. Hes a 30-year-old 8th grade science teacher, a cyclist and outdoorsman, who is chronicling his story with BAVfrom diagnosis, to evaluation, to preparations for upcoming valve replacement surgery. I have recently had CT scan and MRI scan, following some chest pain experienced on track while doing marathon training. I have just one thing bothering me, and that is healing of tissue surrounding heart and also chest muscles, nerves and so on. I was just curious if there any way to know if my valve is affecting my times at all? Your responses mean a lot to myself and no doubt others on this forum. Consensus guidelines suggest that (athlete) patients with BAV and moderate enlargement of the ascending aorta should curtail their strenuous static (eg, weight-lifting) and endurance sporting activities because of the risk of aortic rupture or dissection. Unfortunately, I really cant point you to such studies. Im afraid Ill end up like my Mom. My daughter (16 y/o) has a St Jude mechanical mitral valve (adult size valve even though she has had it for 7 years). He is football player and he has training 5 times per week (for about 1,5 hours each). Im not looking forward competitions nor marathons. Dr. Larry, thank you very much for your blog! Obviously, mild to moderate would be somewhere in between. My consultant informed me that, because of my age, I would have a mechanical valve fitted which meant that I would be on warfarin for life and therefor not be able to play football. My Dr is almost certain that these symptoms are caused by issues that are not cardiac related, and that with at the stage my BAVD is at, it would not produce symptoms. 2. I certainly know of athletes who return to all forms of endurance sport as well as weight-lifting after operations like yours. Would this have any affect on any of the results of the tests I have done (Echo, EKG, Chest Xray)? I was wondering if you could give your opinion on my scenario. A bicuspid aortic valve is a congenital heart defect that affects the one-way valve between your heart and your aorta, known as the aortic valve. A CT scan made the diagnosis. The cardiologist doesnt do the surgery we have to go to another province to have surgery. This almost seems like an off the shelf answer and Id therefore be really keen to find out your thoughts? It functions as a one-way valve, opening and closing with each heartbeat, which keeps the blood flowing in the correct direction. Between one and two percent of all people have this defect, and it affects more men than women. since the last worsening ten years ago, the situation still stable and each year I went to the doctor to have the tests, they still tell me nothing has been changed since. I think we would expect less enlargement over time with stopping strenuous exercise. They said that everything is working fine except that I have a slightly enlarged aorta and the very beginnings of an aortic aneurism which most likely occurred PRIOR to surgery as a result of the pressure over the years and my old BAV. Your site has been helpful in provided a sense of peacebut an extra insight would be super encouraging. I am followed every 2 years. What signs should I look out for? I exercise, eat well and keep my weight down. Compared to our own native valve, all of the available prosthetic substitutes have a small degree of aortic stenosis built in, unfortunately.