HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT HEART VALVE DISEASE? IT MAKES ME SICK...

3 OUT OF 4 PEOPLE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HEART VALVE DISEASE, WHICH MEANS THEY ALSO MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT THERE’S AN EASY WAY TO TEST FOR IT!

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WHAT IS HEART VALVE DISEASE?

Your heart is a vital 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.

Want to know what causes heart valve disease?

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

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

The 2 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 leaflets become stiff or fuse together, preventing 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 is a type of heart valve disease that

DEMANDS YOUR ATTENTION

Impacting millions, aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) is one of the most common types of heart valve disease in the US. It’s also the most dangerous.

When aortic stenosis becomes severe, your valve will fail to fully open and close—this condition is referred to as severe aortic stenosis, or heart valve failure.

STAGES OF AORTIC STENOSIS

Stage 1: healthy heart valve
Stage 2: mild aortic stenosis
Stage 3: moderate aortic stenosis
Stage 4: severe aortic stenosis
Video Thumbnail: How Aortic Stenosis Operates

AN INSIDE LOOK AT HEART VALVE FAILURE

See how this deadly disease can impact your heart.

Watch Video

Aortic stenosis will only get worse, so take action while you can!

GET SCREENED WHILE TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE

1 in 10 people with heart valve failure may die within 5 weeks if they don’t fix their failing valve

On average,

50% OF PEOPLE WILL DIE WITHIN 2 YEARS OF SYMPTOMS STARTING, IF LEFT UNTREATED

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.

How to Talk About Screening
3 Reasons to Get Your Valves Screened

Check out these 3 reasons why you should get checked for heart valve disease.

Reasons to Screen
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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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