Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Dear PSA Director,

According to the CDC, more than 25,000 people in the U.S. die of heart valve disease each year and less than 50% of patients are treated in a timely manner. If left untreated, it can be deadly, but it is generally treatable with a proper diagnosis. In fact, treatment generally significantly improves a patient’s quality of life.

Patients must educate themselves on the symptoms and seek the proper method of evaluation to discover their diagnosis. The patient advocacy nonprofit Heart Valve Voice US is launching its #Ask4Echo campaign to empower patients to advocate for themselves and ask their health care professionals if an echocardiogram is right for them. At the same time, health care professionals should feel empowered to educate their patients and identify heart valve disease symptoms early for the best possible health outcomes.

Patients and health care professionals can learn more about signs and symptoms of heart valve disease at ask4echo.com.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Heart Valve Voice US

:30 PSA SCRIPT

HEART VALVE DISEASE IS MORE COMMON THAN YOU OR YOUR DOCTOR MAY THINK, ESPECIALLY AS YOU GET OLDER. IT’S SERIOUS, BUT TREATABLE WITH A PROPER DIAGNOSIS. IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE ARE EXPERIENCING SHORTNESS OF BREATH, FATIGUE, CHEST TIGHTNESS OR PRESSURE, DIZZINESS, OR FAINTING, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND ASK FOR AN ECHOCARDIOGRAM TO GET DIAGNOSED EARLY AND ENJOY YOUR BEST QUALITY OF LIFE. LEARN MORE AT ASK 4 ECHO DOT COM – THAT’S ASK, THE NUMBER 4, ECHO DOT COM.