Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day Posted By:
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February is American Heart Month, and there are so many reasons to celebrate! One important cause is the annual recognition of Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, February 22nd. As many as 11 million Americans are living with valve disease, and 25,000 patients die from it annually. Thankfully, we have excellent treatment options such as open heart valve surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement/implantation (TAVR/TAVI), and transcatheter mitral or tricuspid clip repair. However, treatment success depends on accurately recognizing symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, dizziness, syncope, edema, or palpitations as related to valve disease.

February 22nd is a day to promote and improve heart valve disease detection and treatment, as well as save lives. For me, this cause became a passion after a relative with frequent hospital admissions was found to have significant valve disease at 102 years old. His fatigue and shortness of breath were thought to be related to his age—imagine our surprise when we found out he had severe aortic stenosis. He received a TAVR and was able to enjoy life playing music and spending time with family at home until he passed away at the age of 107. His quality of life greatly improved, hospitalizations decreased, and many more memories were made due to the advancements in treatment and awareness of valve disease.

Join efforts across the country to celebrate Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day by participating in one of the many activities in February:

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Filed under: Cardiometabolic

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