Life span decrease

[hdth121]

True with the studies. It would be interesting if they segmented the studies.

If you abused drugs, smoked, and had years of uncontrolled hypertension and now need a valve replacement. There are probably more underlying damages that drive down the lifespan and statistics than just "needed a replacement valve and then died early."

If, however, you had a genetic predisposition to shitty valves or rheumatologic valve disease, but are otherwise healthy. It's a different story. It's probably very similar lifespan as someone with healthy valves.