MY FAVORITE PAGE! IT’S ALL ABOUT TALKING WITH YOUR DOCTOR!

HERE ARE 4 HEART VALVE-APPROVED TIPS TO MAKE YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT A GREAT ONE!

Don’t wait too long to chat about your heart

Most patients aren’t diagnosed with heart valve failure until it’s an emergency. So don’t let your first heart valve screening be at the ER. Ask your doctor about a heart valve screening right away.

Go in with some questions ready…here are a few I would ask:

Can you listen to my heart for a murmur?
Am I at risk for heart valve disease and heart valve failure?
Will you order an echocardiogram?

Make screening part of your routine

Regular heart valve screenings that involve listening for murmurs or an echocardiogram can help catch problems sooner, lowering your chances of ending up in the hospital…or worse.

Take advantage of these helpful tools!

Doctor Discussion Guide

Make the most of your next visit with this handy-dandy discussion guide. Print it out, fill it out, and bring it with you to your next appointment.

Download the Discussion Guide

Take a Risk Assessment

Have you ever wished you had the answers before a big test? Take this quick assessment to get a better idea about your risk factors BEFORE you talk to your doctor about screening.

Take a Risk Assessment

With these tips, asking your doctor for a heart valve disease screening should be a breeze. And if your doctor does find heart valve disease, don’t worry. You have options.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON RISK FACTORS FOR HEART VALVE FAILURE?

If you're 65 or older, that's a big risk factor.

Just like heart valve disease, heart valve failure doesn’t discriminate. It can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, or ZIP code. People age 65 and older are at the highest risk. And while there may be no single cause for heart valve failure, having just one risk factor can raise your chances of getting it.

Here are a few other risk factors you should know about: