Morgan Lee-Stephens, a 65-year-old accommodation advisory consultant from Loughton, Essex, noticed she was struggling to walk uphill to pick up her grandchildren from school. Along with chest pain and dizziness, she experienced breathlessness. Morgan, who regularly went to the gym three times a week and had an active lifestyle, found it unusual to experience such symptoms.
Assuming it was due to her rushing and lack of exercise during lockdown, Morgan decided to try the NHS’s Couch to 5k program. However, within a few minutes of jogging, she felt even more breathless, nauseous, and dizzy. Realizing that her condition was not improving, Morgan reluctantly decided to visit her doctor.
Due to the difficulty of getting GP appointments after the pandemic, Morgan had to wait for six months before having a phone consultation for an unrelated bacterial infection. Insisting on a face-to-face examination, she mentioned her breathlessness to her GP, who listened to her heart with a stethoscope. This decision saved her life.
The doctor detected a loud “whooshing” sound, which indicated a severe heart murmur and aortic stenosis, a condition where the aortic valve narrows and restricts blood flow. Prompt treatment is crucial for severe aortic stenosis, ideally within eight weeks. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the average wait for treatment is often four to five months.
Unfortunately, many cases of heart valve disease are missed because GPs are not routinely using stethoscopes during examinations. To address this issue, the Valve for Life initiative and charity Heart Valve Voice have organized a bus tour providing stethoscope and pulse checks in 11 UK cities.
Aortic stenosis, which affects mainly individuals over 65, can cause symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain, dizziness, and fainting. If left untreated, it can lead to heart failure or sudden cardiac death. Treatment involves replacing the valve through open-heart surgery or keyhole surgery. However, the waiting time for surgery and clinic appointments can be extensive, and the condition can have life-threatening consequences if left untreated.
The number of patients with severe aortic stenosis is expected to rise due to the aging population, and current waiting lists indicate a lack of capacity in the NHS to treat them. Increasing access to life-saving treatment requires a fast-track pathway for severe aortic stenosis and increased catheter lab capacity.
Severe aortic stenosis affects a significant percentage of individuals over 65, but many are not diagnosed until late-stage disease. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to use stethoscopes during examinations to detect heart valve disease. By prioritizing access to life-saving treatment, needless losses can be prevented, and patients can receive the care they need.
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