The numbers are chilling. More than a quarter of “healthy” adults over the age of 60 suffer from undiagnosed heart valve disease, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia in England, published in the European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging and relayed by the New York Post. Concretely, “heart valve disease occurs when one or more heart valves do not function as they should”explained Michael Frenneaux, co-senior author of the study, from the Royal Brompton Hospital.
As an example, valve stenosis occurs when the valve does not open completely, restricting blood flow through the heart. Conversely, valve regurgitation can occur when the valve does not close correctly. In this case, blood may flow in the wrong direction. “These problems can put extra strain on the heart and make it work harder. Over time, this can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other heart diseases”he added.
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Age, the main risk factor
To reach this conclusion, Frenneaux’s team examined 4,237 healthy, symptom-free British residents aged 60 and over. After analysis, they found that 28% of them suffered from some form of heart valve disease. It should be noted that most cases were mild. “Age was the main factor associated with these heart valve problems, meaning that the older a person is, the higher their risk of having a significant valve problem.”explained the study’s co-author Vassilios Vassiliou.
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As a reminder, heart valve disease can be revealed by a cardiac ultrasound, but researchers say patients typically only experience one when they report symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or dizziness, or when a doctor hears an unusual murmur during a physical exam. Symptoms that may be masked in older adults due to “reduced physical activity and reduced mobility”.
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