The Nature Of Bicuspid Valve Disease

As I wrote to my new friend Jane, who also has a bicuspid aortic valve, I have found out that BAV disease is actually a syndrome, with associated connective tissue disorders, that affects other things in your body, like your arteries, and is even associated with other physical manifestations like nearsightedness, which I also have. In this respect it is in some ways similar to other systemic conditions such as Marfan"s Syndrome. It's not merely a problem confined to the aortic valve. BAV disease appears to be something that is not well understood by doctors, even cardiologists. It's a cutting edge sort of condition. With BAV, you should be screened for the condition of your arteries: your thoracic aorta, your carotids, you should get a brain scan, and a scan of your abdominal aorta. Aneurysms can occur in any of these places.

I'm not anxious to have the surgery on the one hand. On the other hand I want it if it's time, and before there is permanent damage to the heart, and before I blow a gasket and have an aortic dissection or rupture. I want this for myself, and for those I love and who care about me.