Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
Return to PR Newswire homepage
  • News
  • Products
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All Public Company News
      • All Multimedia News
      • View All News Releases

      • Regulatory News

      • D/A/CH Regulatory News
      • UK Regulatory News
      • View All Regulatory News

  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads & Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking & Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers & Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalisation
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls & Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil & Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defence
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking & Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers & Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines & Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics & Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture & Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewellery
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks & Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels & Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Animal Welfare
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Economic News, Trends & Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • Labour & Union
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Public Safety
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multichannel Amplification
  • Disclosure Services
  • SocialBoost
  • Rooms
    • MediaRoom
    • ESG Rooms
  • AI Tools
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PR Newswire UK provides press release distribution, targeting, monitoring, and marketing services
  • Send a Release
    • Phone

    • +44 (0)20 7454 5110 from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us

      +44 (0)20 7454 5110
      from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • News in Focus
    • Browse News Releases
    • Regulatory News
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
    • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multichannel Amplification
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®
  • AI Tools
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists

New White Paper Highlights Inadequate and Unequal Access to Treatment for the One Million Over 65s with Heart Valve Disease in the UK


News provided by

Heart Valve Voice

05 Nov, 2014, 10:26 GMT

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

This image opens in the lightbox
AVR CCG map (PRNewsFoto/Heart Valve Voice)
This image opens in the lightbox
CCG Data A-C (PRNewsFoto/Heart Valve Voice)
This image opens in the lightbox
CCG Data D-L (PRNewsFoto/Heart Valve Voice)
This image opens in the lightbox
CCG Data M-S (PRNewsFoto/Heart Valve Voice)
This image opens in the lightbox
CCG Data T-Z (PRNewsFoto/Heart Valve Voice)
This image opens in the lightbox
TAVI CCG map (PRNewsFoto/Heart Valve Voice)

LONDON, November 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

  • Heart Valve Voice's White Paper reveals under-diagnosis, treatment gaps and postcode lotteries across the country, with our nation lagging behind Europe in treating heart valve disease
  • The White Paper calls for greater priority on diagnosing and treating the condition and greater investment in valve replacement and repair to provide an effective and ageless service for patients with heart valve disease

Leading physicians and patients today launched a White Paper highlighting a worrying trend of under diagnosis, low referrals and inadequate treatment of heart valve disease amongst the UK's over 65s[1]; the age group most commonly affected by the condition. The paper from Heart Valve Voice also shows that our nation lags well behind Europe in treating this condition.[1]

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/714107-a-INFO )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/714107-b-INFO )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/714107-c-INFO )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/714107-d-INFO )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/714107-e-INFO )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/714107-f-INFO )

"We have an ageing population in the UK and the number of people with heart valve disease is set to increase," states Professor Ben Bridgewater, Heart Valve Voice Chair and Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, University Hospital of South Manchester. "However, reversing the condition with valve replacement is eminently possible and can have a significant impact, greatly improving and lengthening the lives of those with the disease. It is unacceptable that when effective treatments for heart valve disease are available, all patients in the UK do not receive timely diagnosis, effective referral and equal access to such treatment."

Evidence shows that nearly two thirds (59%) of people over the age of 60 do not have their heart checked with a stethoscope - the simplest way to identify heart valve disease.[1] Late diagnosis in primary care is often accompanied by low levels of referral to specialists with more than half (54%) of patients in some parts of the UK not referred to a cardiac surgeon despite their diagnosis being confirmed by echocardiography.[1]Many people who are referred have already developed damage to the heart which can impact the optimal benefit of surgery. A gap in treatment has also been identified - at least a third (30%) of those with heart valve disease are left untreated despite available treatment options.[1]

The White Paper reveals that not all patients receive optimal treatment and there are disparities in intervention rates according to where patients live.[1] The number of those who receive aortic valve procedures varies regionally. In 2013, whilst a small number of regions experienced valve replacement rates in line with European standards, the majority had significantly lower rates (see attached CCG jpeg data).[2]

France, for example, sees more than double the UK rate of surgical aortic valve replacements and TAVIs in recent years.[1] Commenting on this, Professor Bridgewater says: "To realise that UK patients with heart valve disease may well be missing out on treatment, not only compared to their neighbours in different UK regions, but also to patients in other European countries is simply not good enough. Our goal is to put treating heart valve disease on the agenda, especially as it will help the UK to manage our ageing population."

Heart valve disease is a debilitating and potentially fatal condition which affects more than one million people over the age of 65 in the UK alone.[3] If severe aortic stenosis, the most common form of heart valve disease, is left untreated, half of symptomatic patients will die within two years.[4] Surgical aortic valve replacement is the gold standard and has been a successful, life-saving treatment for many decades, but some patients were too sick or old to be eligible. However, with the advent of innovative treatment options, such as minimally invasive valve replacement and TAVI, many more patients can now be treated if diagnosed, referred and managed in a timely and effective manner.[1]

Fred Whowell, an 87 year old patient supporter of Heart Valve Voice, comments: "Without intervention I couldn't have returned to the level of life that I'd really enjoyed. I'm raring to go. Within a month of having the procedure, I was doing three hours a day outside [in the garden] with absolutely no trouble at all." He goes on to say that he's "back to almost 100% now [since treatment]".

NOTES TO EDITORS 

Calls to action from the White Paper

Heart Valve Voice calls for greater priority to be placed on heart valve disease accompanied by increased investment in providing curative valve repair and replacement for the UK’s older people suffering from heart valve disease.

The group wants:

1. Heart valve disease to be included in current strategies for cardiovascular disease

2. An awareness campaign for healthcare professionals and potential patients on the symptoms of heart valve disease and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment

3. 15 minute GP consultations for the over 75s

4. Appropriate referral and follow-up between primary, secondary and tertiary care with a key role played by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) to inform treatment decisions in partnership with patients

5. The same level of surgical and transcatheter valve treatments as other leading European countries

6. The same access to heart valve replacement treatment wherever a patient lives within the UK

For more information on the White Paper, Heart Valve Voice and heart valve disease please visit the Heart Valve Voice website at: http://www.heartvalvevoice.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter @HeartValveVoice #HeartValveDisease #HeartValveVoice

About Heart Valve Voice 

Heart Valve Voice is a multi-disciplinary group of experts in the field of heart valve disease including patients and representatives from cardiac societies, cardio-thoracic surgery, interventional cardiology, primary care and cardiac patient groups.

Formed in 2013, the group exists to help support people with heart valve disease and to drive change in the diagnosis, treatment and management of the condition in the UK to ultimately provide patients with longevity and quality of life. Further information on the group and heart valve disease can be found at http://www.heartvalvevoice.co.uk.  

The development of the Heart Valve Voice White Paper has been supported with funding from Edwards Lifesciences. Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring. Additional company information can be found at http://www.edwards.com.

About heart valve disease 

Heart valve disease is a condition caused by either wear or disease of the heart valve(s), affecting the flow of blood through the heart.[5] When diseased or defective, heart valves may not open or close properly and can interfere with the flow of blood. The most common valve problems involve the mitral and aortic valves, which are located on the left side of the heart.[5]

Aortic valve stenosis is most often due to age-related degeneration or hardening (calcification) of the aortic valve, leading to progressive narrowing (stenosis) or leakage - changes which compromise valve function and impair normal blood flow through the heart.[5]

Heart valve disease is almost always detected during a medical visit. A heart "murmur" or "click-murmur" heard through a physician's stethoscope is usually the first indication of a valve disorder.

Current clinical guidelines on the management of aortic stenosis make a clear distinction between symptomatic and asymptomatic conditions - however, what they identify is the need to treat severe aortic stenosis as early as possible. Without treatment, patients with severe disease face reduced longevity, and impairments in physical and social functioning and emotional well-being that contribute to poor quality of life.[6],[7],[8],[9]

Many heart valve disease patients present in hospital with advanced heart failure[10],[11] and are ultimately denied optimal outcomes due to late access to surgery. Disease intervention data shows that nearly a quarter (24%) of all isolated aortic valve replacement surgery patients and 36% of isolated mitral valve repair patients display advanced symptoms of heart failure at the time of surgery.

The development of the White Paper has been supported with funding from Edwards Lifesciences. 

References 

1. Giving a Voice to Those with Heart Valve Disease - A Heart Valve Voice White Paper. November 2014. 

2. Health & Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC): Hospital Episode Statistics. Available at: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/hes. Accessed November 2014 

3. Office for National Statistics. Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk. Accessed October 2014. 

4. Spaccarotella C et al. Pathophysiology of aortic stenosis and approach to treatment with percutaneous valve implantation. Circulation Journal. 2011;75:11-19. 

5. Patient.co.uk. Available at: http://www.patient.co.uk/health/heart-valves-and-valve-disease. Accessed 24 April 2014. 

6. Badran AA, Vohra HA, Livesey SA. Unoperated severe aortic stenosis: decision making in an adult UK-based population. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2012;94:416-21. 

7. Lancellotti P, Rosenhek R, Pibarot P, et al. ESC Working Group on Valvular Heart Disease Position Paper--heart valve clinics: organization, structure, and experiences. Eur Heart J 2013. 

8. van Geldorp MW, Heuvelman HJ, Kappetein AP, et al. Quality of life among patients with severe aortic stenosis. Neth Heart J 2013;21:21-7. 

9. van Geldorp MW, Heuvelman HJ, Kappetein AP, Busschbach JJ, Takkenberg JJ, Bogers AJ. The effect of aortic valve replacement on quality of life in symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis. Neth Heart J 2013;21:28-35. 

10. Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Blue Book online (6th edtn.). Available at: http://bluebook.scts.org/. Accessed 24 April 2014.

11. Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Available at: http://www.scts.org/. Accessed 24 April 2014. 

For further information, please contact the Heart Valve Voice Secretariat:

Heart Valve Voice Secretariat
Tonic Life Communications
Telephone: +44-(0)207-798-9900
Email: HeartValveVoice@toniclc.com

Modal title

Contact PR Newswire

  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
    from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships

Products

  • Content Distribution
  • Multimedia Services
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®

About

  • About PR Newswire
  • About Cision
  • Partnering Opportunities
  • Careers
  • Accessibility Statement
  • APAC
  • APAC - Simplified Chinese
  • APAC - Traditional Chinese
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Czech
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Mexico
  • Middle East
  • Middle East - Arabic
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United States
  • Vietnam

My Services

  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Data Privacy

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via Privacy@cision.com 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact PR Newswire

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
+44 (0)20 7454 5110
from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Information Security Policy
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 PR Newswire Europe Limited. All Rights Reserved. A Cision company.