aortic valve disease Archives - Page 3 of 3

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Each year, more than 600,000 people die from a form of this disease. Each year, more than 5 million Americans are diagnosed with heart valve disease. But, why? Why do so many people develop heart disease? When it comes to heart disease, there are a number of different risk factors that can lead a person to developing one of the many forms of heart disease. Below, we share with you some of the common risk factors associated with heart valve disease.

Genetics – Heart disease or abnormalities can commonly run in families, especially bicuspid aortic valve disease or mitral valve prolapse.

Age – As we get older, the heart valve ages as well. The flaps (leaflets) in the valves can thicken and harden as they get older which causes a restriction of blood flow. Men over 65 years old and women over 75 years old are at the highest risk for developing heart valve disease.

Heart attack – When a person has a heart attack, this can cause damage to the heart, and affect the function of the valves.

High blood pressure – If a person has perpetual high blood pressure, the heart works harder, so it becomes enlarged. The enlarged heart causes valves to stretch, which can keep the valves from closing correctly.

Cardiomyopathy – If the person has an enlarged heart, not only are the valves stretched, but the tissue ring around them also becomes stretched. If this does occur, leakage in the valves will happen.

Calcium deposits – Calcium deposits can start to build up in the mitral or aortic valves.

Rheumatic fever – Rheumatic fever can damage a person’s heart valves because it causes them to thicken so they no longer open and close properly.

If you fit one or more of these risk factors and are experiencing some symptoms, it may be time for you to contact a doctor. Dr. Peter Mikhail is a cardiac surgeon specializing in mitral valve surgery and mini-AVR. If you’re looking for a cardiac surgeon to perform your heart valve surgery, click here for more information or call 727-312-4844 to book an appointment with Dr. Mikhail.

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Chest Pain. Shortness of breath. Dizziness. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, call your doctor immediately. There could be a chance that you have heart disease. At an appointment with your doctor, he or she will listen to your heart with a stethoscope and make the decision of whether you should be tested for heart disease. Stress tests are one way for doctors to determine if you have heart disease. If you are unable to walk on a treadmill or are on certain medications, the doctor will have you take a nuclear stress test instead of an exercise stress list.

A nuclear stress test will measure blood flow to your heart while at rest, and while your heart works hard from medication administered to you. From this test, a doctor will see images that will determine if you have low blood flow or any damage to the heart muscle itself.

Since you are unable to exercise, a radioactive dye will be administered into your bloodstream. This will speed up your heart rate to mimic exercise. Doctors will also suggest a nuclear stress test if you have coronary artery disease, or if an exercise stress test didn’t explain any of your negative symptoms.

During this test, a camera will see rays emitted from the dye in your body, which will create clear pictures of the heart and its tissue. The doctor will look at images while your heart is at rest, during and after exercise (elevated heart rate from dye). The test could take up to five hours as the blood needs to make its way through your body.

For a nuclear stress test, a patient cannot eat or drink or smoke for two hours prior. A doctor will determine on a case by case basis if you can or cannot take certain medications and consume caffeine before the test. Patients are asked to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. After the test is done, the dye will leave your body through your urine or stool.

The results will determine the doctor’s next course of action. If the results show you have heart valve disease, there is a chance you will have to undergo heart valve surgery. If you’re looking for a cardiac surgeon, Dr. Peter Mikhail performs heart valve surgery, specializing in mitral valve surgery and mini-AVR. To learn more, click the heart valve surgery page. Click here to book an appointment with Dr. Mikhail or call 727-312-4844.

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When one thinks of low testosterone, one usually thinks of low sex drive or sexual dysfunction. However, did you know that low testosterone and heart health are related? They can be. From 1970 to 2013, there were studies conducted on testosterone and causes of coronary artery disease, and a link was found between them.

How can this be? Well, the heart and its blood vessels have testosterone receptor sites within them, which means the hormone and heart work together. With a low testosterone level, a person can develop metabolic syndrome, which is a group of risks factors that can raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Such risk factors include: a large waistline, high triglycerides, a low HDL cholesterol level, high blood pressure, and a high-fasting blood sugar level.

A person can generally tell that he or she may have testosterone issues from the following symptoms: libido loss, fatigue, weight gain or loss, and depression. For men 50 and older, testosterone production drops 1 to 2 percent each year.

Studies in the Journal of the American Heart Association concluded that higher levels of testosterone go hand in hand with good heart health. They found that people with low testosterone often have abnormal EKG readings; they also found people with higher levels of this male hormone had a 25 percent less chance of suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. These studies also found that when a man has low levels of testosterone he could also experience: insulin resistance, narrowed carotid arteries, congestive heart failure, higher incidences of angina, a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, extra fat around the mid-section with a high BMI level, type II diabetes, and a high death rate.

If you are over the age of 50 and experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s best you contact your doctor to get your testosterone level checked. If you currently suffer from heart disease and are looking for a cardiac surgeon, contact Dr. Peter Mikhail, who works in the cities of Tampa, Clearwater, and New Port Richey, Florida. He specializes in mitral valve surgery and mini-AVR. Click here or call 727-312-4844 to book an appointment.

Heart valve problems don’t just develop and occur from poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Many times, patients who suffer from heart disease were born with heart valve deformities. For some, these deformities end up causing problems or raise concern later in life. For this article, we wanted to discuss the topic of bicuspid aortic valve disease, which is one type of heart disease.

When a person has bicuspid aortic valve disease, their valve has two flaps (leaflets) instead of three. Because of this missing flap, the valve does not function properly; however, it can function properly for many years in a person’s life. Even with this missing flap, a person may experience no symptoms for his or her entire life. How can a person be missing a flap? Much research has suggested this missing valve flap is due to a connective tissue disorder, which can also cause circulatory system problems. It is believed the two flaps develop in the womb and the defect usually is there from birth.

Even if a person is born with this defect, he or she often does not know about it until his or her adult years. As the valve gets older, symptoms occur; however, a murmur is usually present during childhood. It is a common disease that runs in families. As a person ages, the valve and leaflets begin to thicken and restrict blood flow. In older age, a person may experience chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, and fainting.

A doctor can determine if a person has bicuspid aortic valve disease by listening to the heart, by performing an echocardiogram, or by ordering CT scans or MRI of the heart. If a person is diagnosed, it is important to stay under the watch of a heart valve specialist. If this disease goes unwatched or untreated, a person can develop aortic aneurysms or heart failure.

About 30 percent of people with bicuspid aortic valve disease will develop complications. About 80 percent of people with this type of heart disease need surgery. Aortic valve surgery is performed on patients to repair or replace the diseased valve with a mechanical or biological valve.

If you’ve been diagnosed with bicuspid aortic valve disease and are looking for a heart valve surgeon, Dr. Peter Mikhail performs mini-AVR on patients. He works in Tampa, Clearwaters, and the New Port Richey areas of Florida. Mini-AVR is a minimally-invasive procedure. To learn more about mini-AVR, click here. To book an appointment with Dr. Mikhail, click here or call 727-312-4844.

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Whether you have suffered a heart attack or stroke, or have been told by your doctor that you are at an increased risk of heart issues, chances are you have been looking seriously into ways to change your lifestyle. Nothing prompts healthy lifestyle changes like a scare, but we don’t have to wait until we have a heart attack to find out we are at high risk before we take our lives into our own proverbial hands and make some healthy changes for the better.

For most of us, diet and exercise are the two areas where lifestyle and personal change can make a significant difference in our heart health and resulting risk factors. While it might be nice to think that medication alone is all that we need, effort on our part to make better, more healthy choices, is part and parcel to being healthy and to reduce the risk for issues or recurring issues.

Diet is an area where almost all of us fail to meet the recommended goals. For whatever reason, most of us eat a diet rich in fattening, oversized portions of convenience foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition. While we do not have to resort to a life without cheeseburgers, we do have to make changes in what, how much, and how often we eat.

There are some simple rules of thumb for keeping your diet under control and changing your diet in more heart-healthy ways. First and foremost, watch the portion sizes. Most of us are shocked when we look a bit deeper and find out just how small a serving size truly is compared with the amount we serve ourselves. Using smaller plates gives you the illusion of eating more and can really help with portion control. Secondly, watch out for liquid calories. A lot of people don’t realize just how many calories they consume with their daily coffee drinks, soda, wine, beer, and juice. Switching out some of these sugar-laden drinks for water or unsweetened tea is a great heart-healthy choice.

When it comes to eating more heart healthy, there are some general tips that will make all dietary choices a bit easier. If we are mindful of the portion sizes we are eating and work to reducing the amount of food we eat to healthier levels, we can really reduce the amount of fat, calories, and artery-clogging foods we consume. Also, by making more cognizant beverage choices, we can reduce the amount of unnecessary sugar and calories we consume in liquid form. These small changes will reduce the amount of fat, sugar, and junk in our diet, promoting more healthy choices.

If you’re currently suffering from heart valve disease and considering surgery, contact Dr. Peter Mikhail. Dr. Mikhail is a cardiac surgeon based in New Port Richey, Florida. To book an appointment, click here or call 727-312-4844.

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The aortic valve is vital to the proper functioning and regulation of blood flow from the heart. As a one-way valve, it conducts blood flow from the left ventricle of the heart to the all-important aorta, which is the largest artery in the human body. In a properly functioning aortic valve, the flaps that regulate the blood flow close so that no blood makes its way back into the ventricle of the heart. Failure of the flaps to close properly can create problems that can lead to a need for valve replacement surgery.

Any type of heart surgery sounds like a very serious and very scary prospect. However, aortic valve replacement can be a minimally invasive procedure that will replace the faulty valve with an artificial valve that properly functions and closes. Any type of condition that causes the valve to stop functioning and lets blood flow back into the ventricle is something that must be addressed or a whole host of other issues can result.

Sometimes, this is a problem that can be corrected by certain medications. However, this is not something that is effective in every case, leading to the need for other types of treatment. Using a procedure called a mini-aortic valve replacement, you can be on the mend in no time, with no need for super invasive surgical procedures.

With mini-aortic replacement, often called Mini-AVR, a 3- to 4-inch incision in the chest is all that is needed for the doctor to perform the corrective procedure. By going through the upper portion of the breast bone or chest wall this reduces the amount of scar tissue and size of the area affected by the surgery – which reduces both down time and recovery time. This procedure could not only save your life, but will have you back doing your normal routine before you know it.

Mini-AVR is a safe and effective way to treat a variety of different problems with the aortic valve. The aortic valve is an incredibly important element of the heart. With this type of surgery, you can be back in action in no time.

Do you currently suffer from aortic valve disease? Dr. Peter Mikhail is a cardiac surgeon who specializes in Mini-AVR. He will meet with you to discuss if you are a good candidate for this type of procedure based on your medical history, current condition, lifestyle and symptoms. To book an appointment with Dr. Mikhail, click here or call 727-312-4844. To learn more, click the Mini-AVR page.

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Heart valve surgery is a major life event. If you are planning on this surgery, you are most likely well-versed in the ins and outs of what you’ll be experiencing during pre-operation and post-operation. After the surgery, your focus will be on healing and getting your life back to normal. Whether you were an active person or not before the heart valve surgery, exercise will be crucial to your healing process. Exercise is just one great way to help prevent your heart from having a major issue again.

Exercise is recommended and encouraged after heart valve surgery. Since you’ll be in recovery, there will be more precautions to keep in mind. Your body just went through the major trauma of surgery, so it’s important to ease into exercise to prevent injury or complications.

When you first get home from the hospital after surgery, it is recommended that you slowly increase the amount of activity you do. In the first week, you want to do around 5 minutes of exercise several times throughout the day. As each week passes, you’ll increase the activity time. This type of activity could be just a slow walk around the neighborhood.

As you heal, you will be in contact with your cardiac surgeon; he or she will tell you when you’re cleared for certain types of exercises, including aerobic activities and weight training. If you were active pre-op, your doctor understands your urgency to get back to normal as soon as possible, and will work with you to make sure you are stable (no shortness of breath or heart rhythm issues) before approving you for physical activities.

Every patient is different. The doctor will ask you to take it easy with any exercise you start and will want you to monitor how you feel after each exercise and workout. Make sure to tell the doctor what types of exercise you plan to do. The clearance for weight training may be different from biking or walking, due to the exercise’s effects on the body. It makes no difference to the doctor what type of exercise you choose, as long as you do it safely.

If you’re looking for a cardiac surgeon to perform your mitral valve surgery or mini-AVR, Dr. Peter Mikhail specializes in these surgeries; he is based in New Port Richey, Florida. To learn more, click the Mitral Valve Surgery page or the MINI-AVR page. To book an appointment, click here or call 727-312-4844.

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You’ve probably heard and read a thousand times about the best diets or foods to eat to be heart healthy; however, do you know the foods it’s best for you to avoid? Nutrition is an extremely important aspect to focus on when currently living with heart disease. Food can either act like a medicine or a poison based on your choices. You want to stay as healthy as possible while living with this disease before treatment, during treatment, and after treatment.

When your heart isn’t functioning at its best, it’s best to stay clear of certain foods to remain as healthy as possible. Below are some foods you should think about limiting or avoiding if you’re currently suffering from heart disease.

Highly Processed/Refined Grains and Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are great for your body; they supply the body with energy; however, when a carbohydrate is processed or refined, it loses most of its health benefits (fiber, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals). Processed foods usually come with added ingredients like sodium and trans fats. Some examples include: white bread, white rice, instant oatmeal, and some cereals.

Processed/Refined Sugars

Sugar, in moderation, won’t harm you, but if you consume enough of it, it can harm your heart by raising blood pressure and triglycerides. High dosages of sugar can be found in soda, some cereals, candy, baked goods, canned foods, and juice.

Certain Fats

Trans fats and saturated fats are not the “good” kind of fat. These types of fat can raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol and contribute to clogged arteries. Foods known for their high trans fats and saturated fats include: fried food, margarine, doughnuts, biscuits, cakes, and pies.

High Sodium

Your body needs sodium. It helps keep your blood pressure in check, as well as maintain proper fluid levels in the body. If you consume too much sodium, your kidneys cannot process it all so the remaining sodium can elevate your blood pressure. Too much sodium can put a person at risk for heart failure, a heart attack, kidney failure or a stroke. Foods with high sodium include: canned soups, processed meats, fast food, salted nuts, canned vegetables, frozen meals.

Overall, it’s best to practice moderation in all things, especially in your diet if you are currently suffering from heart disease. One slice of pie at the holidays won’t harm you, but it’s best to avoid the above-mentioned foods with your heart in a fragile state.

If you’re in need of a great surgeon to perform mitral valve surgery or mini-AVR, Dr. Peter Mikhail is a cardiac surgeon in New Port Richey, Florida, who specializes in these surgeries. To book a consult or for more information, click here or call 727-312-4844.

If you’ve been diagnosed with heart valve disease, or know someone who has, you’ve probably heard a lot talked about the heart valve flaps. Well, what exactly are heart valve flaps? What do they do?

Heart valve flaps are also referred to as heart valve leaflets. The heart valve flaps are made up of tissue, and they operate like doors. They open and close to allow blood flow through the heart in one direction. When functioning properly, these flaps close tightly. The mitral valve has two flaps and the aortic valve has three valve flaps.

When people experience heart valve problems, the flaps are often to blame. If the flaps no longer close tightly, a patient has a good chance of developing heart valve disease. Depending on what’s happening to the flaps and valve, the person can be experiencing a different type of heart valve disease.

For the mitral valve, there are three different ways for the flaps to fail at doing their job. Mitral valve regurgitation/insufficiency is when the flaps do not close tightly, so blood leaks back into the left atrium of the heart. In mitral valve stenosis, the flaps have thickened or stiffened and may even fuse together. Because of this, there is a narrowing of the valve or a blockage. Lastly, mitral valve prolapse is when both of the valve’s flaps are enlarged or bulging, which keeps them from closing evenly.

With the aortic valve, aortic valve regurgitation occurs then the flaps no longer close properly and blood flows back into the left ventricle of the heart. Aortic valve stenosis is when the flaps have thickened or stiffened and potentially fuse together, which narrows the valve.

If you’re having a problem with the flaps in your mitral valve or aortic valve, you may be a good candidate for mitral valve surgery or mini-AVR. If you’ve been looking for a cardiac surgeon, Dr. Peter Mikhail specializes in mitral valve surgery and mini-AVR. He is based in New Port Richey, Florida. To learn more click the Mitral Valve Surgery or Mini-AVR pages. To book a consult, click here or call 727-312-4844.

One of the best ways to take care of your heart is through your diet. Unfortunately, all heart diseases or conditions are not entirely preventable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to prevent yourselves from getting the ones that are. When you eat a heart-healthy diet, you aren’t just keeping your heart healthy, you’re keeping your entire body healthy. When a person’s body is working properly in all other areas, it causes less stress on the heart each day.

Unsure of what to eat? We can help! Our team wanted to share some of the best heart-healthy foods you should be adding into your diet. Whether you’re healthy, currently suffering from a heart condition or are a post-op heart surgery patient, these foods are essential for you to live a healthy life.

Nuts – Nuts are filled with omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They also have a lot of fiber. Almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are the best choices.
Berries – Berries (blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries) are packed with anti-inflammatory propertieis, which helps ward off heart disease.
Legumes – Legumes, like black beans and lentils, are filled with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and fiber.
Oatmeal – Like nuts and legumes, oatmeal also is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. This morning staple also is a good source for folate, fiber, and potassium. Oatmeal is known to lower bad cholesterol, which helps artery health.
Salmon – This fish is an amazing source of omega-3 fatty acids, and it is known to help lower blood pressure, which in turn takes stress off the heart and also reduces the chances of developing clots. Salmon also contains the antioxidant, carotenoid astaxanthin.
Avocado – Avocados are full of monounsaturated fat, which helps lower bad cholesterol levels and raises good cholesterol levels.

Other heart healthy foods: Olive oil, chickpeas, kidney beans, spinach, flaxseed, soy, and tuna.

If you currently are suffering from a heart condition like mitral valve disease or aortic valve disease, Dr. Peter Mikhail is a thoracic and cardiac surgeon in New Port Richey, FL, who performs mitral valve surgery and mini-AVR. He also advises his patients on the best diets based on their condition. To book a consult with Dr. Mikhail, click here or call his office at 727-312-4844.

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