FAQs COMIN’ AT YOU

So glad you asked! It’s a structure in the heart that works like a door, opening and closing, to ensure proper blood flow through the chambers of your heart. In fact, when you hear your heartbeat, it's the sound of your heart valves opening and closing.

To jump start awareness and give heart valve health a much-needed voice, "I" was given voice. Hi, I’m Mr. Valve (handsomely pictured above)! I’m the loudest, most lovable talking spokesvalve on the planet. Now, while ignoring your heart valves may be easy…ignoring me? Fuhgeddaboudit!

Your heart has 4 heart valves (but I’m the coolest of them all). They all help manage blood flow throughout the body.

There are 4 valves of the heart: the aortic valve (hey, that’s me), pulmonary valve, tricuspid valve, and mitral valve. Try to say that five times fast!

Heart valve disease is much more common than you’d guess—almost 12 million people in the US have it! That’s about 12 million too many.

A heart murmur is a whooshing sound that your doctor may hear when listening to your heart with a stethoscope. It could be the first sign of heart valve disease, which could become heart valve failure. If your doctor hears one, you better get an echocardiogram to see what’s up.

Aortic stenosis (you might’ve heard it called aortic valve disease) is a form of heart valve disease that happens when flaps (AKA leaflets) in the aortic valve become stiff due to calcium buildup, preventing them from properly opening and closing. Calcium’s good for your bones, but not so great when it builds up on your heart valves.

There isn’t a single cause, but risk factors include age (particularly in those 65 years or older), family history, prior infections, and radiation to the chest. If you’re in one of these groups, don’t risk my life (or yours)—get screened.

If you don’t do anything about it, aortic stenosis can progress to heart valve failure (severe aortic stenosis). 1 in 10 people with heart valve failure who are experiencing symptoms may die within 5 weeks while waiting for their aortic valve replacement. Yikes! Don’t let it get that far.

Ask your doctor to get screened for heart valve failure with an echocardiogram. It’s painless, takes as little as 15 minutes, and will show your doctor pictures of your heart. I’ll say cheese.

Heart valve failure affects 2 million people in the US (oh jeez!) and can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, or ZIP code. There is no single cause of heart valve failure, but even one risk factor can raise your chances of getting it.

Sometimes heart valve failure is asymptomatic (which means “no symptoms”). But when there are symptoms, they can include shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue (low energy), lightheadedness, difficulty walking short distances, swollen ankles and feet, and a rapid or fluttering heartbeat. YEOUCH, that sounds rough.

Once you’re diagnosed, you will need to replace your heart valve as soon as possible. Heart valve failure is deadly and will only get worse until your heart valve is replaced—help a guy out here…ASAP!

The only effective way to treat heart valve failure is by replacing your valve.

Yeah, that's a tricky one. Heart failure happens when the heart can’t properly pump blood throughout the body. Heart valve failure, on the other hand, is when aortic stenosis becomes severe. Left untreated, it can cause serious complications, like heart failure.

I wish, buddy. Unfortunately, while improving your diet is good for your overall health, it can’t solve heart valve failure.

Nope. Sorry to say, no number of marathons can defeat heart valve failure. You've got to get your valve replaced.

Talking to your doctor about heart valve screenings is easy. You should come with some questions prepared, such as “What’s the screening process like?” and “Will you listen to my heart for murmurs?” Your doctor will happily answer your questions and help you out. They're here for you. (And me!) Check out a free Doctor Discussion Guide for more info.

Lucky for you, I have a Risk Assessment Tool, free of charge. Head on over.