HUMBOLDT—Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day was on Feb. 22, and Saskatoon-based cardiologist Janine Eckstein held a stethoscope screening event in Humboldt on Feb. 13.
More than one million Canadians are affected by heart valve disease, but awareness of the signs and symptoms is very low. The symptoms are not always severe and can be mistaken as part of the natural aging process.
Heart valve disease involves damage to one or more of the heart’s valves, and while some types are not serious, others can lead to major complications—including death.
The goal of the campaign is to improve early detection of heart valve disease by educating Canadians on the importance of stethoscope checks, especially for those aged 60 and older.
Eckstein has been a cardiologist for six years and said, “The stethoscope screening is simple. I listen on the chest for heart murmurs—sounds that can come from either leaking or narrow heart valves. It is quick and painless, only taking about five minutes.”
Everyone over the age of 65 is recommended to have a stethoscope check annually, Eckstein said. Heart valve disease risk increases with age. Thirteen per cent of people over 75 have heart valve disease. By 2040, it is estimated that 1.5 million people over 65 will have heart valve disease in Canada.
Heart valve conditions are common and treatable, especially when detected before permanent damage occurs. Eckstein said if left untreated, it can lead to heart failure and death. “It’s quick and easy to get a stethoscope check.”
The Heart Valve Voice Canada campaign also encourages people experiencing shortness of breath during exercise, chest discomfort, or a decreased ability to exercise compared to one or two years ago to consider the possibility of valve disease.
Any family doctor or nurse practitioner can perform a stethoscope check.
“Healthy eating and regular exercise are excellent ways to improve heart health, but sometimes even healthy people get heart valve disease. It’s about doing the best you can for your heart,” said Eckstein.
More information about heart valve disease is available at .
