9 Questions for Those with BioProsthetic (Tissue) Valves

[BicuspidBuddy]

too much cardio. And how much is, too much.

The million dollar question. Pellicle wrote an excellent response conjecturing exercise/bioprosthetics/SVD/age.

And IF exercise indeed plays a role in degradation (unlike what the medical establishment claims), what type of exercise is most likely to degrade the valve? weights? endurance running? sprinting/high burst output? Maybe it's just a perfect storm for some people like Gkeraney - high intensity exercise, combined with youth, combined with a unique biomchemical metabolism (that requires Warfarin for valvular longevity)? Maybe for others, like those who have responded to my 9 bio valve questions, their age and unique biochemistry will provide a few decades of durability, even with intense exercise. Who knows?

And how does one define "moderate exercise?"

Being in the pre-surgery stage, exercise management is simple for us right now. Our cardio told us to curtail exercise and asked me 3 times if I knew CPR. We've decreased exercise output by 95%, waiting for surgery, so we can hike mountains again.

I imagine it must be much more difficult to navigate how much is too much exercise after surgery. Or maybe not? Is it partially valve-type dependent?

And to all FATHERS, HAPPY DAY!!! and all mothers, even those male ones, which I am one.......LOL

Absolutely!! To all the incredible dad's, Happy Father's Day!

 

[d333gs]

The thing is that I know my valves have struggled and been below average on durability. And I also know that with valve in valve I now have, I have ended up on warfarin. If I somehow knew that was going to happen, and I was starting from scratch at age 65, yes I would pick a mechanical valve...and probably on x, with the idea that I might need less warfarin by a little. Now more realistically not knowing what the future would hold, I would have picked a bio valve and expected to get a tavr inside that around 13 years later. I'm actually a licensed physician in the state of Washington. If someone asked me what to do I would say they have two nearly equal ways to go, starting from scratch at age 65. The tavr at age 75-80 ish is likely to be easy to do and probably would require minimal warfarin...though apparently not for me.

As importantly I would moderate the exercise, either way. I wouldn't want to have my body trying to metabolize any valve. The mechanical valve could be affected too by scarring all around it. Then you have another open heart after age 80. That's real trouble, right?.

"I wouldn't want to have my body trying to metabolize any valve" , interesting , how does this happen!?

 

[tom in MO]

Nobody knows why tissue valves fail with time, 2 years for some people, 20 for others.

 

[ATHENS1964]

https://www.dicardiology.com/conten...ognition-mitral-valve-repair-reference-center