Today is Medical Monday at Aortic Hope.
❤A normal Aortic Valve has 3 leaflets and that is called a Tricuspid Valve. Did you know that there are individuals who only have one leaflet (Unicuspid) ,two leaflets (Bicuspid) and even four leaflets (quadricuspid) Valves?
👉Today we will be discussing Bicuspid Valves. As mentioned in the Mayo Clinic's article on Bicuspid Valves, a "Bicuspid Valve is a type of heart disease that you are born with (congenital heart disease). Usually the aortic valve has three cusps. A bicuspid valve has only two cusps. Rarely, some people are born with an aortic valve that has one cusp (unicuspid) or four cusps (quadricuspid).
❣ Changes to the aortic valve can cause health problems, including:
~Narrowing of the aortic valve, called aortic valve stenosis. The valve may not open fully. Blood flow from the heart to the body is reduced or blocked.
~Backward flow of blood, called aortic valve regurgitation. Sometimes, the bicuspid aortic valve doesn't close tightly. This causes blood to flow backward.
~Enlarged aorta, called aortopathy. An enlarged aorta increases the risk of a tear in the lining of the aorta. This tear is called an aortic dissection."
❣ If you would like to learn more about treatment options, check out the information here.
Comments