Bicuspid Aortic Valve
(BAV) Disease

At Emory Healthcare Heart and Vascular, we have a Bicuspid Aortic Valve Clinic staffed with highly trained experts in this condition. We have three locations housed within our primary hospitals (Emory University Hospital Clifton Campus, Emory University Hospital Midtown and Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital), providing patients with easy access to expert care. While diagnosis of BAV is rare, occurring in 1.5% percent of the population, nearly 3,000 patients were seen by Emory Healthcare physicians in 2025 alone.

Patients diagnosed with BAV can benefit greatly from the multidisciplinary approach we offer at our clinic. Our team of experts includes:

Our experts want to help patients address this lifelong condition by offering comprehensive treatment options at every phase of life. Here’s why:

• BAV can lead to heart valve dysfunction and is associated with enlargement of the aorta over time
• Regular imaging is essential to prevent serious complications
• Family members may also be at risk and should be screened
• Coordinated care improves safety, outcomes and patient confidence
• Medical management and lifestyle guidance can improve overall well-being

BAV disease is a lifelong condition that a person is born with. The aortic valve is an important valve that allows blood to flow from the heart into the aorta, which delivers blood to all of the organs in the body. The aortic valve typically consists of three leaflets. However, in BAV, there are only two functioning leaflets. This can lead to aortic valve stenosis (narrowing and stiffening), regurgitation (leaking of blood back into the heart) or an enlarged aorta. Many patients with BAV eventually require either valve repair or valve replacement.

BAV is a hereditary condition, passed on to roughly 10 percent of offspring, which is why it is so important for parents with BAV to have their children evaluated at a young age. If one child has BAV, there is also a 10% percent chance that their siblings have it.

With proper monitoring and treatment, people with BAV can live just as long as those without BAV. It’s important to know that lifestyle habits will not affect or improve BAV. It is a condition that should be monitored by a specialist to ensure timely treatment before an emergency arises.

Most people with BAV don't have symptoms until they are adults. It’s usually first detected as a murmur at a primary care visit or, in the case of children, at a pediatric visit.

Symptoms of BAV disease may include:

If you or your child experiences any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your health care provider right away. They may be a sign of a heart condition like BAV.

During a sick visit or well visit, it is routine for a provider to listen to your heart with a stethoscope. This is typically when BAV might first be detected. Your provider may hear a murmur and recommend further testing by a cardiologist. A murmur indicates that there may be a problem with blood flow in one of your valves. Your provider will then recommend that you see a cardiologist for further testing. A cardiologist may perform an echocardiogram, a non-invasive diagnostic test that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the heart’s chambers, valves, walls and blood vessels. This measures heart function and will detect heart disease or problems with blood flow.

Other testing may include:

 The level of aortic regurgitation can be difficult to quantify correctly. At the Bicuspid Aortic Valve Clinic, our experts have special expertise in this area and are able to diagnose patients with great precision.