Wil Woan, Executive Director at the charity, Heart Valve Voice, warns that diagnosis and treatment delays are common for patients with heart valve disease, leading to emergency admissions, complex procedures and longer recovery times.
Heart valve disease (HVD) affects over 1.5 million people in the UK, with prevalence rising sharply in older age groups.1 Aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation are the most common forms, and both can be fatal if left untreated. Yet despite clear clinical pathways and proven interventions, too many patients are diagnosed late, treated as emergencies instead of elective patients and face avoidable harm.
New data from Heart Valve Voice's 2025 Patient Experience Survey reveals troubling diagnosis delays and treatment delays are common, particularly for patients in the most deprived areas who are three times more likely to experience diagnostic delays than those in the least deprived. Across the board, nearly 40% of patients report delays in accessing treatment after diagnosis.2
What are the systemic causes of delay? From low awareness to overstretched services, Heart Valve Voice is calling for targeted investment in HVD pathways to prevent emergency admissions, reduce complexity and improve outcomes.
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