‘Listen to Your Heart’ this Heart Month to Understand Your Risk for Common, Often Fatal Disease

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day is February 22

Washington, D.C. (February 1, 2024) – Today officially kicks off Heart Month, a time to raise awareness of heart conditions and heart healthy lifestyles. On February 22, 125 organizations, and countless advocates across the globe will mark Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day by joining together to increase recognition about the valve disease risks and improve detection and treatment.

#ValveDisease affects >11 million Americans. #ListentoYourHeart and learn more at ValveDiseaseDay.org. Tweet

About Heart Valve Disease:

• Valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart’s four valves is defective or damaged, interrupting blood flow and often causing serious complications.
• More than 11 million Americans have valve disease.
• More than 25,000 deaths are attributed to valve disease in the U.S. annually.
• More than 84 million people globally are impacted by valve disease.
• Symptoms can include lightheadedness, fainting, fluttering heart or chest pain, tiredness, edema, and feeling off in general.
• Heart murmurs can usually be detected through a simple stethoscope check. If a murmur is detected, additional tests can diagnose valve disease.

Valve Disease Risk Factors:

• Age is the greatest risk factor of valve disease: 1 in 10 people 75 and older are estimated to have moderate or severe heart valve disease
• Cardiovascular diseases and conditions such as previous heart attack, hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol
• Treatments for certain types of cancer
• Congenital abnormalities
• People in communities of color tend to develop heart valve disease at a younger age and should be screened sooner

“We know that a simple stethoscope check by a medical professional can save lives, so we’re asking everyone to get their heart listened to and encourage their loved ones to do the same,” Lindsay Clarke, JD, Senior Vice President of Health Education and Advocacy for the Alliance for Aging Research.

About the Alliance for Aging Research

The Alliance for Aging Research has served as a trusted source of health information for both consumers and health care professionals on diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect older adults and has led numerous successful advocacy campaigns promoting the health and independence of older adults. Learn more at www.agingresearch.org.

To interview someone from the Alliance for Aging Research or one of our 125 partner organizations on the topic of heart valve disease and awareness day activities, email Katie Riley, Vice President of Communications, at [email protected].