Study Tallies Risks of Valve Defect
People with a congenital heart valve defect have a very low risk of a dangerous problem called aortic dissection, a new study finds. But more than half will need a valve replacement within 25 years, researchers found. The study included 416 people who had been born with a bicuspid aortic valve. This means that the valve has two flaps instead of the normal three. Researchers kept track of people for an average of 16 years. In that time, 2 people â about one-half of 1% â developed an aortic dissection. This is a tear in the aorta, the body’s largest artery. It can be fatal. Rates of other problems related to the valve defect were much higher. About 26% of people developed an aneurysm. This is a bulge in an artery because of a weakness in its wall. Among people with aneurysms, the risk of further problems rose. In the 15 years after diagnosis, 7% had an aortic dissection.