OVER one in four seemingly healthy adults could be living with an undiagnosed heart condition, scientists have warned. Heart valve disease - when one or more of the flaps directing your blood flow don't work - places extra strain on the heart and can up your risk of heart attacks and strokes . Now, research has for the first time revealed the number of Brits who unknowingly have the condition.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) f carried out heart scans on almost 4,500 people aged over 60, who where outwardly healthy and had no symptoms. Over a quarter - 28 per cent - were found to have previously undetected heart valve disease. Study author Vassilios Vassiliou, a clinical professor of cardiac medicine at UEA’s Norwich medical school, said: “This study focused on understanding how widespread heart valve issues of any severity are among healthy, symptom-free adults without any known heart diseases.
“We examined almost 4,500 individuals aged 60 and older from three regions in the UK: Norfolk, West Midlands and Aberdeen , using echocardiography, which is an ultrasound of the heart. “Our findings showed that more than 28 per cent of these adults had some form of heart valve disease, although reassuringly it was only mild in the majority of the cases. “The data also indicated that 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.
” Your bloo.