Bicuspid Aortic Valve Overview
Learn About Bicuspid Aortic Valve
A bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is an aortic valve that only has two leaflets, instead of three.
The aortic valve regulates blood flow from the heart into the aorta. The aorta is the major blood vessel that brings oxygen-rich blood to the body.
Bicommissural aortic valve; Valvular disease - bicuspid aortic valve; BAV
The aortic valve allows oxygen-rich blood to flow from the heart to the aorta. It prevents the blood from flowing back from the aorta into the heart when the pumping chamber relaxes.
BAV is present at birth (congenital). An abnormal aortic valve develops during the early weeks of pregnancy, when the baby's heart is developing. The cause of this problem is unclear, but it is the most common congenital heart defect. BAV often runs in families.
A BAV may not be completely effective at stopping blood from leaking back into the heart. This leakage is called aortic regurgitation. The aortic valve may also become stiff and not open up. This is called aortic stenosis, which causes the heart to pump harder than usual to get blood through the valve. The aorta may become enlarged with this condition.
BAV is more common among males than females.
A BAV often exists in babies with coarctation of the aorta (narrowing of the aorta). BAV is also seen in diseases in which there is a blockage to blood flow on the left side of the heart.
Most of the time, BAV is not diagnosed in infants or children because it causes no symptoms. However, the abnormal valve can leak or become narrow over time.
Symptoms of such complications may include:
- Baby or child tires easily
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Rapid and irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
- Loss of consciousness (fainting)
- Pale skin (pallor)
If a baby has other congenital heart problems, they may cause symptoms that will lead to the discovery of a BAV.
Your infant or child may need surgery to repair or replace a leaky or narrowed valve, if complications are severe.
A narrowed valve can also be opened through cardiac catheterization. A fine tube (catheter) is directed to the heart and into the narrow opening of the aortic valve. A balloon attached to the end of the tube is inflated to make the opening of the valve larger.
In adults, when a bicuspid valve becomes very leaky or very narrowed, it may need to be replaced. This used to be possible only with open heart surgery, but can now sometimes be done via catheters.
Sometimes the aorta may also need to be repaired if it has become too wide or is too narrow.
Medicine may be needed to relieve symptoms or prevent complications. Medicines may include:
- Medicines that lower the workload on the heart (beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors)
- Medicines that make the heart muscle pump harder (inotropic agents)
- Water pills (diuretics)
Cardiology Clinical Group
James Eichelberger is a Cardiologist in Rochester, New York. Dr. Eichelberger and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Bicuspid Aortic Valve. His top areas of expertise are Tetralogy of Fallot, Coronary Heart Disease, Angina, and Cardiomyopathy.
Cardiology Clinical Group
Christopher Cove is an Interventional Cardiologist and a Cardiologist in Rochester, New York. Dr. Cove has been practicing medicine for over 40 years and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Bicuspid Aortic Valve. His top areas of expertise are Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Cardiomyopathy, Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, and Pacemaker Implantation.
Tirone David practices in Toronto, Canada. David and is rated as a Distinguished expert by MediFind in the treatment of Bicuspid Aortic Valve. His top areas of expertise are Aortic Regurgitation, Mitral Valve Regurgitation, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Heart Valve Repair, and Aortic Valve Replacement.
How well the person does depends on the presence and severity of complications of BAV.
The presence of other physical problems at birth also can affect how well a person does.
Most babies with this condition have no symptoms, and the problem is not diagnosed until they are adults. Some people never find out that they have this problem.
Complications of BAV include:
- Heart failure
- Leakage of blood through the valve back into the heart
- Narrowing of the valve's opening
- Infection of the heart muscle or aortic valve
Contact your child's provider if your baby:
- Has no appetite
- Has unusually pale or bluish skin
- Seems to tire easily
BAV runs in families. If you know of this condition in your family, speak to your provider before becoming pregnant. There is no known way to prevent the condition.
Summary: Congenital heart disease (CHD) includes a wide variety of types of disease, including congenital abnormalities of the heart valves. This can range from bicuspid aortic valve and other aortic valve deformities to more complex disease such as tetralogy of Fallot. For many kinds of CHD, the optimal timing of interventions remains unclear. For instance, in tetralogy of Fallot, there is still equipoise...
Summary: The goal of this observational study is to assess the changes of ascending aortic diameter in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. whether the ascending aortic diameter increases or remains stable after transcatheter aortic valve replacement, especially in patients with preoperative ascending aortic dilatation; 2. the determinants...
Published Date: May 27, 2024
Published By: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Braverman AC, Cheng A. The bicuspid aortic valve and associated aortic disease. In: Otto CM, Bonow RO, eds. Valvular Heart Disease: A Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 11.
Fraser CD, Cameron DE, McMillan KN, Vricella LA. Heart disease and connective tissue disorders. In: Ungerleider RM, Meliones JN, McMillian KN, Cooper DS, Jacobs JP, eds. Critical Heart Disease in Infants and Children. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 53.
Isselbacher EM, Preventza O, Black JH 3rd, et al. 2022 ACC/AHA guideline for the diagnosis and management of aortic disease: a report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2022:146(24):e334-e482. PMID: 36322642 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36322642/.
Leon MB, Mack MJ. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022: chap 74.