Over 25 percent of seemingly healthy adults over 60 were found to have heart valve disease despite not having symptoms, according to a new study. “Our findings showed that more than 28pc (percent) of these adults had some form of heart valve disease, although reassuringly it was only mild in the majority of the cases,” Vassilios Vassiliou, a professor of cardiac medicine at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and co-author of the study, said in a news release. Heart valve disease is when one or more of the heart’s valves malfunctions, affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently.
The first symptom of heart valve disease is usually extreme fatigue. Other symptoms include feeling faint or losing consciousness, difficulty breathing, chest pain, heart palpitations, or irregular heartbeat. “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,” said Mr.
Vassiliou. “The diagnosis of heart valve disease mostly relies on transthoracic echocardiography, however this is normally only carried out if symptoms are reported or if an unusual murmur is heard during a physical examination. This can be challenging in the elderly because mild symptoms may be masked by reduced physical activity and impaired mobility,” he added.
Age was the most significant factor.
