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Undertreatment of patients with sSAS

AS is often undertreated — one study found that 56% of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (sSAS) patients referred to a cardiothoracic surgeon were not operated on.

Bach D. Prevalence & Characteristics of Unoperated Patients with Severe AS Awareness of HVD The. Journal of Heart Valve Disease. 2011; 20(3). https://experts.umich.edu/en/publications/prevalence-and-characteristics-of-unoperated-patients-with-severe

Reference

Title
Prevalence & Characteristics of Unoperated Patients with Severe AS Awareness of HVD The
Publication
Journal of Heart Valve Disease
Publication Date
2011
Authors
Bach D
Volume & Issue
Volume 20, Issue 3
URL
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Categories

  • Cost of Disease
  • Prevalence & Incidence
  • Human Value

Publications

Aortic Stenosis Fact Sheet

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Connected Facts

Aortic Stenosis

Detection rate of heart murmurs

More than 40% of heart murmurs — detected with a stethoscope and sometimes the first sign of heart valve disease (HVD) — are missed by family practitioners.

Prevalence & Incidence, Human Burden

Aortic Stenosis

Many cases of HVD are diagnosed during a routine physical check-up

Six in 10 patients did not have or recognize symptoms of heart valve disease (HVD) and were only diagnosed after going to their doctor for a regular check-up or a visit for something else.

Aortic Stenosis

HVD patients knew little prior to their diagnosis

More than 2/3 of valve disease patients knew a limited amount or nothing about heart valve disease (HVD) before their diagnosis.

Aortic Stenosis

Many Americans know nothing about HVD

Of those Americans surveyed ages 65+, 30% know nothing about heart valve disease (HVD).

Aortic Stenosis

American knowledge of HVD

A survey of Americans found that only 1 in 4 know “somewhat” or a “great deal” about heart valve disease (HVD). Forty percent know nothing about the disease.

Related Facts

  • Prevalence of AS in Americans 75+
    An estimated 12.4%, or ~2.5 million people ages 75+ in North America, have AS.  
  • SAS patient hospitalization costs
    Symptomatic aortic stenosis (SAS) patients who do not undergo treatment cost Medicare as much as $1.3 billion each year due to rehospitalization, prolonged stays, admissions to skilled nursing facilities, and…  
  • Survival Rates Over 5 Years for Patients with Medically Managed Severe Aortic Stenosis
     
  • Increased hospital admissions and prolonged length of stay for patients who do not undergo treatment
    Medicare severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (sSAS) patients who do not undergo treatment have an average of 1.9 hospital admissions per year and prolonged lengths of stay — 11.5 hospital days…  
  • 2016 prevalence of Americans 65+ who had AVD
    In 2016, an estimated 5.2 million U.S. adults ages 65+ had aortic valve disease (AVD).   Note: Alliance for Aging Research generated statistic, based on 2005 percentage prevalence estimates by Bach et al. 2007