aortic insufficiency and shortness of breath

[moriarty]

hi i was recently diagnosed with aortic insufficiency. apparently this means my aortic valve is all leaky. i don't know my ejection fraction or whatever, but i plan on getting a copy of all my tests this coming monday, when i'm in town.

first off, i'm 20 years old and in otherwise pretty damn good health. my blood pressure is a little high, but it's just because i haven't been doing as much cardio as i should the past 12 months. that's changed, though, now that the doctors have given me the okay to exercise again.

anyway, i'm worried about my heart (duh). and also my breath. see, ever since i quit smoking about six months ago, i've found that my lung capacity doesn't seem to be what it used to. i'll inhale all the way, but it'll feel like i ought to be able to inhale even more, but can't. i think this might just be my asthma resurfacing, but was wondering if this could be brought on by what i've got. i've neglected to mention this to my cardiologist.

also, i was wondering about what this is gonna mean quality of life-wise and stuff for me. is it pretty easily treatable or am i gonna be seeing an early grave?

thanks,
moriarty

[moriarty]

so i got all my lab stuff and my ejection fraction is normal and so is everything else, except for "mild to moderate aortic insufficiency"

i'm thinking that my breathing is my asthma more than anything

i'll go to my school's health center, though, just to make sure

[Jack54]

I do not under stand the relationship between heart disease in general and SOB, but it is real. I had an >80% blockage in a large coronary artery 2 weeks ago. I felt as if my lungs were tiny and I couldn't take a normal or deep breath.

Maybe the muscles of the diaphragm require a much better blood supply to really "stretch out and expand your lungs", and if your heart is weak, the blood flow to the muscles of the diaphragm is insufficient.

I know after the blockage was cleared, my breath came back to almost normal. So sorry about the aortic valve insufficiency. I would only go to the Cleveland Clinic to have it repaired.