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Heart Valve Disease From Aging on the Rise

Posted on: Tuesday, 22 August 2006, 15:00 CDT

A Mayo Clinic study estimates that about 5 million U.S. adults have moderate or severe heart valve disease as a consequence of aging.

Valve diseases are a significant public health concern because the proportion of our elderly population is increasing, says lead author Dr. Vuyisile Nkomo, a cardiologist. This study shows that valve diseases increase significantly with aging. It is a major step in understanding the scope of the burden of valve diseases today and their contribution to declining health with aging.

The researchers found that the prevalence of adults diagnosed with moderate or severe valve disease increased with age, from 0.7 percent in 18- to 44-year-olds to 13.3 percent in those age 75 and older. The projected national estimate of valve diseases based on the age and gender distribution of the 2000 U.S. Census is 2.5 percent of adults or approximately 5 million people, according to the study published in The Lancet.

Valve diseases are referred to as silent killers in part because a person can have severe valve disease without having symptoms, and it may take some time before there is heart failure, according to Nkomo.

Source: United Press International

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