Aortic Insufficiency and Schleroderma

[Barbara__0__0]

  My mother is a 69 year old woman with Schleroderma.  She had a complete
  physical with a new primary physician recently during which a murmur was
  detected.  She has not had an echocardiogram to my knowledge.  The new
  physcian recommended one.  He is suspecting aortic insufficiency.
  I noticed another posting, to your site, concerning aortic insufficiency,
  that suggested that connective tissue disorders could cause this problem.
  Would Schleroderma fall into that category?
  My mother has had a stroke, observed on CAT scan, and several TIAs observed
  on MRI. She does have some noticable ankle swelling.  She is frequently
  very tired.  She has poor circulation, to the legs with pain on walking.
  She has difficulty with short term memory and problem solving.  Would she
  really be a good candidate for ACE inhibitors or valve replacement with
  her susceptibility to strokes?  If not, is the echocardiogram really
  necessary?

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

  
Dear Barbara,
Thank you for your questions.  Yes scleroderma is a connective tissue disorder and may predispose her to valvular problems.  I would encourage her to get the echo and find the source of her murmur.  Depending on the results of the echo the treatment can be tailored be it surgery or medical treatment alone.  Strokes in and of themselves are not a contraindication to surgery.  Hope this helps.  Feel free to write back with any additional questions.
Information provided here is for general educational purposes only. Only your doctor can provide specific diagnoses and treatments. If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please Call 1 - 800 - CCF - CARE for an appointment at Desk F15 with a cardiologist