Heart valve disease is a major public health concern

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Around five million Americans have heart valve disease brought on by aging, according to a new Mayo Clinic study.
Rheumatic fever used to be the major cause of heart valve disease but is now rare, thanks to antibiotics. However, a new study from the Mayo Clinic now reveals that heart valve disease is on the increase again - now because of the aging of the population.

The researchers used data from echocardiograms from nearly 12,000 individuals. This showed that there is an increase in heart valve disease with age. In the 18 to 44 age group, 0.7 per cent of the population has heart valve disease and this increases to 13.3 per cent in the over-75 age group. The aging of the population means that heart valve disease will become more significant over time. A person can have severe heart valve disease without symptoms and it may eventually lead to heart failure. However, surgery can treat valve disease and the elderly can benefit as much from treatment as younger people - although the risks of the operation are higher. The researchers are now calling for further study - to show why some people develop heart valve disease as they get older while others do not.

Source
Lancet online 21st August 2006