Heart Valve Disease Health Care Team Toolkit

Key points

• Heart valve disease isn't as common as other heart conditions, so patients may not easily recognize the signs and symptoms.
• Symptoms of heart valve disease may be subtle and develop slowly over time.
• Talk to your patients if they are at greater risk of developing heart valve disease, especially if they are age 65 or older, have received chest radiation treatment for cancer, or are members of populations who traditionally have had limited access to health care services.
• Talk to your pediatric patients and their parents or guardians about diagnosing and treating congenital heart valve disease.

Who should use this toolkit

Any members of a health care team (primary care clinicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses) may find the messages and resources in this toolkit helpful.

Professional organizations that represent clinicians may share these resources with their members to ensure they are equipped to deliver accurate information about heart valve disease.

Key messages for health care professionals

• Early diagnosis, treatment, and routine monitoring of heart valve disease are critical to helping patients live healthy lives.
• Screenings such as stethoscope checks, echocardiograms, and timely referrals to cardiologists can help ensure heart valve disease does not go unmanaged.
• Effective treatment options are available for heart valve disease, including noninvasive options. It is important to discuss the options that are best and what follow-up care may be recommended for each patient.
• As with any heart condition, continued care and regular screenings to monitor disease progression are needed for people who are living with heart valve disease.

Shareable resources for health care professionals

Explaining Heart Valve Disease

This fact sheet offers a heart diagram to use as a resource when discussing heart valve disease with patients. It includes information about signs and symptoms and provides options for describing heart valve function.

Visit the Heart Valve Disease Patient Toolkit for printable materials to provide to patients during in-office visits or to access digitally, including stories from patients living with heart valve disease.

Videos

Social media posts

Help to spread the word using social media messages to communicate important information about heart valve disease with your followers.

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• Sometimes patients mistake signs of heart valve disease such as shortness of breath and fatigue as part of the aging process. Don't let them dismiss the signs; talk to your patients about their symptoms. Check out CDC tips on how to start the conversation today: cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart #KnowYourHeart
• Many patients are at risk of developing heart valve disease. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to helping them live longer, healthier lives. Explore CDC resources on heart valve disease prevention, risk factors, symptoms, and more. cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart #KnowYourHeart
• Heart murmurs are common. Conversations with your patients about murmurs can provide important clarification. Talk to your patients about what a murmur is, what it may mean. Then discuss testing options to rule out conditions such as heart valve disease. CDC resources can help. cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart #KnowYourHeart
• Effective treatment options for heart valve disease (including noninvasive procedures) are growing. It's important to talk with your patients about what treatment and follow-up care can look like. Explore CDC resources at cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart. #KnowYourHeart
• Congenital heart valve disease is not always detected during prenatal care. Less severe cases can be identified during pediatric checkups and are important to monitor. It's never too early to talk to your patients and their guardians about diagnostic and treatment options. Learn more: cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart #KnowYourHeart
• Health care professionals: Continued care and regular screenings can support patients diagnosed with heart valve disease and help you monitor disease progression. Make follow-up care part of the conversation. cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart #KnowYourHeart

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• Signs of heart valve disease can appear slowly or be easily dismissed or mistaken. Listening to your patients and their hearts can help ensure heart valve disease is detected and treated early. Learn more: cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart #KnowYourHeart
• Your patients count on you to notice the signs of heart valve disease. CDC has resources to help you make valve dysfunction part of the conversation. Check them out at cdc.gov/KnowYourHeart. #KnowYourHeart