Everyone has an idea about the diseases that commonly occur to people and among these is diseases related to the heart. Although the rate of people developing heart diseases is high, everyone is still afraid of being diagnosed with one. It is no surprising since it can only mean being at risk of death. At present, among the heart diseases that the population is commonly diagnosed with is bicuspid aortic valve. So, if you are just diagnosed with the disease, know that you are not the only one. Aside from being a common heart disease, it is also among the most widespread heart valve diseases.
This disease is congenital and it is reported that 1%-2% of the population are affected by the condition. It forms during pregnancy, specifically when the 2 aortic leaflets have fused together. It is a serious disorder involving the heart valve. With this disorder, the valve has 2 leaflets only, which are controlling the flow of blood that goes to the heart. The valve normally has 3 tissue leaflets. However, because of something that took place during the pregnancy when the heart organ is developing, only 2 leaflets fused.
This disorder is dangerous since it limits the blood flowing through one’s heart as well as other parts of the body. This will also result in requiring the heart to work overtime so that blood can be supplied and passed through the smaller bicuspid aortic valve. At first, the muscles of the heart can cope up with the stress led by the disorder. But, the problem comes overtime since it can lead to straining the cardiac muscle. Unfortunately, this disorder can cause enlargement of the heart, congestive heart failure and heart rhythms that are abnormal.
Symptoms of the Disorder
In any case, one needs to know and be aware of the bicuspid aortic valve symptoms. It is necessary for patients to be aware of these. The common bicuspid aortic valve symptoms include swollen ankles, shortness of breath while exercising or even lying. Experiencing of constant fatigue or tiredness, coughing when night comes or when finally in bed is also possible. Chest pains, dizziness or heart palpitations are also felt by patients with the disorder.
However, even with all these bicuspid aortic valve symptoms, there are other patients who do not experience any of these. It only means that they are asymptomatic. Patients are lucky if they experience some of the symptoms at least for one time. They are lucky because they are at least alerted that something is wrong with them or their heart. Hence, they can go for a checkup and know the diagnosis, which helps in preventing the disorder from resulting in more serious effects like heart enlargement. In a way, experiencing the symptoms at least once is better than knowing you have the disorder when it is already that serious.
The bicuspid aortic valve symptoms can be experienced any time in the life of the patient. It can be in the early stages of childhood or the later years and even when older. But whatever that time is, always remember to consult your doctor as soon as the symptoms are experienced. This way, the diagnosis can be done and the treatment plan can be decided and laid out to you.
