WHAT IS HEART VALVE DISEASE?

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PEOPLE HAVE VERY LITTLE AWARENESS OF HEART VALVE DISEASE

It might not be as well-known compared to other types of heart disease, but heart valve disease can happen at any age, regardless of race or gender—and adults over 65 are at the highest risk.

3 out of 4 people know little to nothing about heart valve disease.

LET'S CHANGE THAT!

Illustration of Mr. Valve talking

UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEART AND ITS VALVES

Your heart is an essential organ that depends on its 4 valves to help regulate blood flow throughout the body.

Each valve has thin flaps called leaflets that act as one-way doors, opening and closing with each heartbeat. When your valves are healthy, the leaflets open fully to keep blood flowing smoothly in the right direction and close tightly to prevent blood from flowing backwards.

As you get older, you can develop heart valve disease, where one or more of your valves may stop working properly. This condition makes it harder for your heart to pump blood through your body.

Diagram showing the four valves of the heart: pulmonary, aortic, mitral, and tricuspid

HEART VALVE DISEASE WATCH-OUTS

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Your age matters

The risk of heart valve disease increases with age, especially if you are over 65.

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Diet and exercise won’t stop it

Diet and exercise are great for your heart, but they won’t stop heart valve disease.

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You won’t see it coming

Heart valve disease can appear with no symptoms and may be confused with general signs of aging.

IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSES HEART VALVE DISEASE

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There are different types of heart valve disease,

AND YOU DON'T WANT ANY OF THEM.

Illustration of Mr. Valve talking

TYPES OF HEART VALVE DISEASE

Two of the most common are valve stenosis and valve regurgitation. Both can be deadly if left untreated.

The words ‘valve stenosis’ next to an icon of a valve affected by the disease

Valve stenosis occurs when your valve narrows due to the leaflets stiffening or fusing together. This prevents the valve from opening fully. When the opening gets smaller, blood flow becomes restricted, which means your heart needs to work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body.

The words ‘valve regurgitation’ next to an icon of a valve affected by the disease

Valve regurgitation, also called “leaky valve,” happens when the valve leaflets do not close properly, causing blood to flow or “leak” backwards. As a result, your heart must work harder to push the blood back out.

Aortic stenosis demands attention

AORTIC STENOSIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF HEART VALVE DISEASE

It's caused by a buildup of calcium, causing the valve to grow dangerously narrow. When aortic stenosis becomes severe, we call this heart valve failure.

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Female patient with an illustration of a red heart valve character called Mr. Valve

EARLY DETECTION IS KEY. WAITING IS NOT WINNING

Heart valve disease can become worse over time and even be deadly without treatment. Asking your doctor to listen to your heart is the first line of defense for identifying heart valve disease and deciding when treatment is necessary.

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Am I at Risk?

It's not always easy to tell if you or a loved one has heart valve disease. Find out your level of risk.

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