I am not a doctor, but for many years have been what is called a "reader" for a professor of human anatomy and physiology. In other words, if you took one of these classes around here, I probably would have read and corrected your exams.
However, I also am a heart patient, and information gets pretty specific when it is your own! It is a little bit different from reading about it in a textbook or hearing it in a lecture.
I myself have mild aortic regurgitation. Testing over the years has shown that it is quite stable. I no longer worry about it.
Mild diastolic dysfunction just means that your left ventricle is not relaxing as quickly as a young person's does, so it does not receive as generous a fillup, either. As we age, this is so common as to be almost 'normal.' However, you will want to make sure your blood pressure is wll under control, so if your doctor suggests something stronger than garlic, by all means, try it.
Here is more information for you about this:
http://www.learntheheart.com/DiastolicDysfunction.html
Try not to worry sbout this. We all get older, and after 50, things are different from the way they were when we were 30. Keep on doing what you doing right now, amd enjoy your life.
Hi there,
I know it is very scary when you hear from a Cardiologist that your valves are leaking and thickening and all the medical lingo.
I had MVP diagnosed for the 1st time in my life when I was 31 and before my 33 birthday I was in total heart failure and really bad shape and had open heart surgery to repair mitral valve.
This sounds scary and it was, but the point I wanted to make: I had a lot of symptoms (shortness of breath with minimal excertion and while I was talking), chest pains, lethargic, fluid retention, Atrial fib and other arrthythmias.
Echo's and Cardiology visits are necessary to monitor heart function, size, etc. but overall your body will tell you when you need to worry.
Most patients with valve regurgs do not require surgical intervention and if you don't have alarming symptoms of heart failure you'll be alright.
Hope the info helped you and keep up the healthy-lifestyle!
Thank you for all your information. Do you work in an type of medical field or is this information just from you learning on your own over the years.I know that knowledge is helpful. Hopefully the more I know the more I understand and worry less.Do you have a trace or mild aortic valve regurgitation. Do you know anything about the grade 1-- diastolic dysfunction? I have a cardiologist and will be going back for an echo in about 11 months.
A little regurgitation or leakage from MOST of the heart valves is very, very common--especially in the mitral valve--and becomes more common with age (things wear out). In the healthy, which you demonstrably are, this is trivial and of no concern in the absence of symptoms. Google mitral valve regurgitation, read about it, and you will see you have almost nothing to worry about there.
You do have a trace of regurg at the aortic valve. Ideally, this valve does not leak, but I, who have worked out and watched my weight all my life, accidentally found that I also had it. I have no symptoms related to it, but it is considered medically significant and earned me a regular cardiologist who has me do a stress test and echo every year or two to watch for any bad changes, None have occurred in ten years. If bad changes were to occur, the valve is easily and most successfully replaced.
If I were you, I would make myself a patient of a good cardiologist to monitor the aortic valve and arch over the years--and then relax.
You are doing fine.