opinion: heart valve disease awareness day won't fix our health system, but it can save lives

over one million canadians are affected by heart valve disease , yet public awareness is shockingly low. while some types are not serious, others can lead to major complications, sometimes causing lengthy hospitalization or even death.

however, many do not have tell-tale symptoms, even if their heart is very sick. for these people, a heart murmur, which is an unusual sound heard through a stethoscope, is an important clue that something might be wrong.   while a heart murmur doesn’t always mean you have a heart problem, it is a clue that may point to a need for further testing. undetected or untreated heart valve disease can cause many future problems including stroke, blood clots, heart rhythm abnormalities and heart failure.

what causes heart valve disease?

heart valve disease can be present at birth or develop from damage later in life, caused by other cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, certain infections and inflammation, or radiation to the chest. the need for t reatment depends on the severity of the disease. if the heart valve problem is very minor, treatment may not be necessary — only regular check-ups to monitor the condition in case it gets worse. if the condition is more serious, more intensive treatment is needed, such as valve repair or replacement, in combination with medication. today, less invasive treatment options are also available that allow patients to recover faster. the approach taken will depend on the person’s age, general health, which valve is affected, and the type and severity of the condition.

mpp for mississauga-lakeshore rudy cuzzetto tabled a private member’s bill , bill 66, in ontario that would proclaim february 22 heart valve disease awareness day, and the second full week of september as heart valve disease awareness week. i applaud this and hope all provinces and territories do the same. you might wonder why that acknowledgement matters to a doctor like me. i see patients every day who experience and live with this condition. how will an awareness day help them get better?  it won’t, really. my patients must still wait for diagnostic tests and treatments — a “day” will not change those wait times. there is no magic that will fix all our health system woes at once. we must put one foot in front of the other and take a step in this journey. but there are things we can do that can be life-changing and alleviate some of the pressure on the health system.  

heart valve disease awareness day promotes early detection

raising awareness of heart valve disease, promoting detection through regular and simple stethoscope checks, and identifying problems through regular check-ups, are things we can do.   collaborations among groups like heart valve voice canada, the canadian cardiovascular society and their respective members, are making important strides.  i think of the patient waiting for urgent surgery because an infection ravaged a valve; the one who we will operate on electively because we caught the problem early enough; and those who were so terribly symptomatic that a less invasive valve replacement gave them a “new lease on life.”  i especially think of the ones who are too sick to help, and the ones who have passed away.