Take this news to heart. You could have a common condition that increases your risk of heart attack and stroke — and not even know it.
More than a quarter of “healthy” adults over 60 have undiagnosed heart valve disease, a new study from the University of East Anglia in England finds.
“Heart valve disease is when one or more of the heart valves do not work like they should,” explained study co-lead author Michael Frenneaux, of the Royal Brompton Hospital.
For example, valve stenosis is when the valve doesn’t fully open, restricting blood flow in the heart. Valve regurgitation is when the valve doesn’t close properly. In that case, blood can flow in the wrong direction.
“These problems can put extra strain on the heart and make the heart work harder,” Frenneaux added. “Over time, it can increase the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and other heart conditions.”
Frenneaux’s team examined 4,237 healthy, symptom-free UK residents 60 and older. 28% had some form of heart valve disease — most of the cases were mild.
“Age was the main factor associated with these heart valve problems, meaning that the older a person is, the higher their chance of having a significant valve issue,” co-lead author Vassilios Vassiliou shared.
The findings were published Wednesday in the European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging.
About 2.5% of Americans have valvular heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A heart ultrasound can reveal it — but researchers say patients typically only get one when they report symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain or dizziness, or when a doctor hears an unusual murmur during a physical exam.
Vassiliou noted that mild symptoms in the elderly “may be masked by reduced physical activity and impaired mobility.”
He is calling for more research on how to best identify and manage the disease, which may be treated with lifestyle changes, medication or surgery to fix or replace the valve.
“This study reveals that many older adults have heart valve issues, even if they don’t show any symptoms, and we would suggest that if people do develop any new symptoms or signs that could indicate heart disease to discuss this with their doctor,” he said.
