(Washington, D.C., Friday, February 19, 2021) – Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day is recognized every February 22 during American Heart Month and is dedicated to increasing recognition of the specific risk factors and symptoms of heart valve disease (HVD), improve detection and treatment, and ultimately save lives. This is the 5^th year for Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, and the impact of its 89 members will be recognized throughout the month and during a virtual celebration on February 22^nd.

As many as 11 million Americans are affected by HVD which involves damage to one or more of the heart’s valves. While some types are not serious, others can lead to major complications—including death.

African American adults experience risk factors at earlier ages than whites. Chronic high blood pressure increases the likelihood of heart failure, a primary risk factor. African Americans develop heart failure before the age of 50 at 20 times the rate of whites.  And, African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes than whites and are more likely to develop serious complications like heart valve disease.

HVD becomes more common with age, and one in ten people age 75 and older are estimated to have moderate to severe HVD.

The seriousness of HVD, combined with the fact that disease symptoms are often difficult to detect or dismissed as a normal part of aging, makes this lack of awareness dangerous.

 Since 1986, the Alliance for Aging Research has served as a trusted source of health information for both consumers and health care professionals on diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect older people, and has led numerous successful advocacy campaigns promoting the health and independence of older adults. Learn more about the Alliance at www.agingresearch.org.