What does this mean in dumb terms basically?

i have a heart condition and im 15 and the doctor told me i have bicuspid aortic valve disease and when i asked him what is that he ignored me ive tried looking on the internet and found only smart things pretty much can anyone explain to me what it is??

what can happen to me and am i likey to have a heart attack?

Hi, 1 and only - The first thing you should know is that a bicuspid aortic valve is the most common form of congenital heart defect, affecting up to 2% of the population. There is also a genetic component. 9% of patients with bicuspid aortic valves have other family members with the same thing. Thus, we generally recommend that first-degree relatives of people with bicuspid aortic valves get screening echocardiograms.

Normally the aortic valve is made up of three separate leaflets that form what looks like a Mercedes Benz symbol when they come together. In a bicuspid aortic valve, there is incomplete separation of two of the three leaflets, hence the term "bicuspid" or "two leaflets". The problem is that these abnormal valves have a tendency to become calcified and fibrotic (hard and thickened) over time.

Unfortunately, the fact is that MOST patients with bicuspid aortic valves will require surgery during their lifetime. For some with more deformed valves, intervention is required in childhood or adulthood. However, the majority have relatively normal valve function and remain undiagnosed until late in adulthood when the valve becomes stiff. It is impossible to predict when you will need surgery to replace your valve, but the most important thing is to follow up with your cardiologist on a regular basis.

You need to know that a cardiologist will need to monitor you with echocardiograms because patients with bicuspid aortic valve are not only at risk for developing a stiff aortic valve, but can develop a severely leaky aortic valve, an enlarged aorta, and even dissection in the worst cases.

The decision to take you to surgery is NOT based on symptoms alone, although those are definitely important as well. Your doctor will watch the gradient across the valve, the amount of valve leakiness, and the size of your aorta.

If the valve is very leaky and your heart function is starting to suffer, surgery is generally recommended. If the aortic root is getting bigger to the point where there is a risk of aortic dissection, surgery is generally recommended. If the gradient becomes "severe" (we consider this to be a mean gradient of 40mmHg or more) and you have symptoms, sugery is generally recommended. The question of whether to recommend surgery in an asymptomatic patient with severe aortic stenosis is more controversial and should be discussed with your cardiologist.

Don't worry, though. As long as you keep seeing a cardiologist who understands bicuspid aortic disease, you should be ok. Surgery is very safe these days and you can generally expect a long and healthy life even after having your valve replaced.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

As blood leaves each chamber of the heart, it passes through a valve. There are four valves in your heart. They make sure that blood flows in only one direction through your heart.

Congenital valve defects are valves not formed correctly before birth. Valves may be the wrong size, have malformed leaflets or have leaflets that are not attached to the annulus correctly. This most often affects the aortic or pulmonic valve.

The bicuspid aortic valve is a valve inside your heart that opens and closes to regulate blood flow through the heart and into your system. your valve most likely leaks a little bit, letting blood either back up or leak forward when it should not. It can cause a build up of fluid in your system, making your ankles swell up, make you feel extra tired and have less energy and stamina.

bicuspid aortic valve disease is the most common congenital (you are born with it) heart disease. About 1-2% of the population have it. It means the valves in your heart are not properly formed, and this can cause backflows and other bloodflow problems.

Treatment varies depending on the severity and type of your disease. You need to always keep a close eye on it so if there's any sign of valve failure, you can be treated immediately. Also remember that your heart has a much higher risk of getting infected compared to a normal heart, so you need to go on an antibiotic regimen everytime you have dental work done.

You have valves in your heart between the different chambers and before the blood goes into the aorta (the main artery that feeds blood to the rest of your body). These valves are designed to prevent blood from leaking into the chamber it just came from so it can remain in the new chamber and be processed. When it comes to the aortic valve, it's designed to prevent blood that should be going into your body from washing back into your heart.

"A bicuspid aortic valve is a heart condition that is usually due to a congenital deformity. A normal aortic valve has three cusps, whereas a bicuspid valve has only two. About 1-2% of the population have bicuspid aortic valves, although the condition is nearly twice as common in males. The majority will cause no problems. However, especially in later life, a bicuspid aortic valve may become calcified, which may lead to varying degrees of severity of aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation, which will manifest as murmurs. If these become severe enough, they may require heart surgery. " (from Wikipedia)

What this is saying is that normally there are 3 pieces to this particular valve, but in people who have bicuspid aortic valve disease, they were born with only 2 pieces (otherwise known as cusps). A lot of times it doesn't cause problems, but sometimes when you get older the valve will calcify or harden. If it hardens it can't open and close like it should and your aorta leaks blood back into the heart. I believe there is surgery to correct the condition.

Hope this helps you understand the problem better, and the doctor was an idiot for not taking the time to explain this condition to you.