Join in our Heart Valve Voice Webinar on 19th September
Heart valve disease is a condition affecting over one and a half million people over the age of 65 in the UK.
It is caused by either wear, disease or damage to one or more of the heart’s valves, affecting the flow of blood through the heart. Symptoms include shortness of breath, tiredness, chest pain and dizziness, but are sometimes hard to recognise because they may be seen as a result of the natural ageing process, which can make diagnosis difficult. It is important that if you have any of the symptoms or are over 65 years, you ask your primary care clinician for a quick stethoscope check.
Worried about symptoms of shortness of breath, tiredness, chest pain and dizziness? Then join a webinar on Silversurfers facebook page on the 19th September at 8pm to 8:30pm with Chris Arden, General Practitioner (GP) with Special interest Cardiovascular Disease & Echocardiography and Editor in Chief of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Journal.
Although a serious condition, the good news is that heart valve disease is treatable if diagnosed early. With treatment, people can return to a good quality of life with their friends and family. Treatment for heart valve disease varies according to how severe the disease, your symptoms and your general health. But ultimately the effective ways of overcoming the disease are valve repair or replacement. Surgery may be advised if any valve is severely affected, which can significantly improve symptoms and quality of life for many people. Great progress has been made recently in less invasive procedures.
A diseased valve can either be repaired or replaced by a surgical procedure which has been proven to be very successful over many decades. More recently, a less invasive procedure called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) has become available for those who are considered to be at too high-risk for surgery. Your doctor will be able to advise which is the most appropriate in your case.
“We have seen a lot of innovation and progress in the range of treatments available for patients with heart valve disease in the last few years, both in surgical procedures, but also with the introduction of less invasive techniques for those patients unable to undergo surgery. Patients who are diagnosed early now have a real chance of being able to return to a good quality of life,” comments Chris Arden.
“I’m looking forward to sharing information about heart valve disease in partnership with Heart Valve Voice and Silversurfers. The event is also part of the European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week which sees six countries across Europe participating in activities designed to raise awareness of the disease and to highlight the fact you can enjoy a good quality of life once you’ve been treated.”
CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED THE WEBINAR YOU CAN WATCH THE RECORDING HERE
