Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady is encouraging residents to take a moment to keep their health in mind for Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week.
The awareness week runs September 14 to 20, with health organizations highlighting the importance of early detection of heart valve disease and the role of a simple stethoscope check.
For Brady, the issue is personal.
She was diagnosed with a heart murmur at the age of 14, but it never stopped her from living an active life.
She says that despite being active and feeling healthy, she has continued to have her heart checked regularly, including electrocardiograms and, on several occasions, wearing a Holter monitor to monitor her heart rhythm.
Brady’s experience took on a new significance when her daughter, Addison, was found to have the same heart murmur during her first checkup as a newborn.
Thankfully, Brady says her daughter has remained healthy and the condition has not prevented her from living an active life.
Brady has also taken her personal experience into her work at Queen’s Park.
She supported Ontario’s Bill 66, the Heart Valve Disease Awareness Act, a private member’s bill aimed at increasing awareness of heart valve disease and the importance of early detection.
One of the key messages behind the awareness campaign is that detecting a potential heart valve problem can be as simple as having a health-care professional listen to the heart with a stethoscope.
A stethoscope check takes only about 30 seconds.
A health-care provider listens for abnormal sounds, including a heart murmur that can be caused by turbulent blood flow through a damaged or leaking valve.
Brady says people should feel comfortable asking for the check, even when they feel perfectly healthy.
Heart valve disease can develop slowly, and some people may have no symptoms in the early stages.
Others may experience symptoms such as breathlessness, dizziness or fatigue, which can sometimes be mistaken for simply getting older or being out of shape.
Brady says changes in how your heart feels should not be ignored.
More information about Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week and heart valve disease is available through Heart Valve Voice Canada.
