How should I change my diet if I have bicuspid aortic valve disease?

Bicuspid aortic valve disease (an abnormality of the aortic valve) does not prevent you from developing other types of heart disease. Therefore, it is recommended you eat a well-balanced diet low in fat and cholesterol. Monitoring your cholesterol levels will be managed by your health care team. Try to maintain a healthy weight because extra weight makes your heart work harder. However, you should not take diet pills because they contain stimulants that could be harmful to your heart. You should maintain a normal dietary intake of calcium and avoid over-the-counter medications containing excessive amount of calcium supplements.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to the progression of aortic stenosis. If your blood pressure is elevated or you take medication to control your blood pressure, you should limit your amount of salt intake.

If you have heart failure in addition to bicuspid aortic valve disease, you may need to limit the amount of salt and fluid you take in. You should discuss these limitations with your health care provider.