Calcific valve disease is an active disease process akin to atherosclerosis

[eftdan]

Very interesting article I found during the research I've been doing before my surgery; I thought I should share it with you guys:

https://circ.ahajournals.org/content/111/24/3316.full

Calcific aortic valve disease is a slowly progressive disorder with a disease continuum that ranges from mild valve thickening without obstruction of blood flow, termed aortic sclerosis, to severe calcification with impaired leaflet motion, or aortic stenosis. In the past, this process was thought to be “degenerative” because of time-dependent wear-and-tear of the leaflets with passive calcium deposition. Now, there is compelling histopathologic and clinical data suggesting that calcific valve disease is an active disease process akin to atherosclerosis with lipoprotein deposition, chronic inflammation, and active leaflet calcification. The overlap in the clinical factors associated with calcific valve disease and atherosclerosis and the correlation between the severity of coronary artery and aortic valve calcification provide further support for a shared disease process.


AVR Feb 2014, Edwards Pericardial Aortic Bioprosthesis, NYP

 

[spartangator]

Wow, that is interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Paleowoman]

But "calcific valve disease" is not the kind of calcification that happens with congenital valve disorders such as bicuspid aortic valve. Calcific valve disease is a "disease" that happens to people with normal valves and is generally considered degenerative, ie with age, in which case it makes sense that it would go hand in hand with other vascualar disorders such as atherosclerosis. Calcification on bicuspid aortic valves occurs because of the turbulent blood flow that occurs with bicuspid valves.

 

[knotguilty]

Thanks for the info. I often wonder when you have AS, if that can go to the mitral valve or other valves or is it just localized on the aortic valve?

 

[epstns]

But "calcific valve disease" is not the kind of calcification that happens with congenital valve disorders such as bicuspid aortic valve. Calcific valve disease is a "disease" that happens to people with normal valves and is generally considered degenerative, ie with age, in which case it makes sense that it would go hand in hand with other vascualar disorders such as atherosclerosis. Calcification on bicuspid aortic valves occurs because of the turbulent blood flow that occurs with bicuspid valves.

This rings true to my original diagnosis. When I was first diagnosed with aortic stenosis, the cardio said that there were really only two causes of the condition -- old age or bicuspid aortic valve. When he chose to treat me as an "old age" patient (and I was only 52 at the time), I fired him and moved on.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Steve - you mean your cardio didn't check for bicuspid aortic valve but assumed it was "old age" ?

 

[clay_from_nj]

When he chose to treat me as an "old age" patient (and I was only 52 at the time), I fired him and moved on.

Perhaps the medical institution needs to standardize its classifications of age. When I was in for my AVR, I was 46 and everyone in the hospital commented on how incredibly young I was. Now I wonder, at 48, have I crossed the line or am I not quite elderly yet?

 

[epstns]

Anne - That cardio was a loser in too many ways. He never even considered BAV. My next cardio immediately called it as his first diagnosis, which proved correct.

Clay - You're not older unless you want to be. I've always called middle-age to be my mother's age - and she passed away at 81, so we have a far piece to go yet!