News

After being born with a hole in her heart, Angie Martin first had open heart surgery when she was a small girl. Fast forward 40 years and Angie's leaky valve began to deteriorate and needed urgent intervention. After being told she needed an operation, a pandemic stopped the world in its tracks. However, despite the pressures on the health service, and thanks to the team's brilliant work at Harefield, Angie received her life-saving treatment.

Heart Valve Voice is delighted to see today’s publication of NICE’s guideline on heart valve disease presenting in adults. The publication of these guidelines marks is a key moment for Heart Valve Voice, our patient community and future valve disease patients.

Heart Valve Voice welcomes the announcement from NHS England regarding the creation of 40 Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC). Heart Valve Voice has advocated the delivery of these services since Professor Sir Mike Richards released his report, and are firm believers that they will improve cardiovascular services immeasurably.

In 2020, retired postman, Lewis Benn was treated for severe aortic stenosis at the beginning of the Covid outbreak. After facing delays to treatment, and with his health deteriorating, Lewis received a non-invasive procedure, and has now made a full recovery and is enjoying a great quality of life after treatment.

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week (13-19 September, 2021) aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and management of heart valve disease globally. This international initiative is led by the Valve Council of the Global Heart Hub, and includes heart valve disease charities from around the world.

This week, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) released the 2021 revisions to their clinical practice guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease.