Free stethoscope checks aim to raise heart valve disease awareness

Eckstein said her goal is to catch the disease in its early stages, making it easier to monitor and treat symptoms before somebody becomes increasingly ill.

“It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s painless. And if we hear a heart murmur, then we can look at booking the next steps, which would be other testing like an ultrasound heart and see if there is a bad problem with heart valves,” she said.

Symptoms of the disease can be subtle and easy to miss, with many people assuming they are simply related to getting older.

“Some people notice that they get chest discomfort, particularly when they’re exerting themselves. Sometimes people feel more tired or dizzy… They feel like they can’t do the things they could a year or two ago. And they’ve just written it off because sometimes it is because we’ve gotten older.”

Eckstein said it is very common to hear heart murmurs during the clinic and provide education about the patient’s next steps.

“I have had a number of people who had no idea and certainly had heart murmurs. Some of those have been mild valve disease that we’re just following. I’ve had several people that had very severe valve problems and needed treatment right away,” she explained.

Her stethoscope check events have helped educate people in Saskatchewan for several years through Heart Valve Voice Canada. Every six to 12 months, Eckstein chooses one location to set up an event, helping to spread awareness across the province.

No registration or payment is needed to attend the event in North Battleford. It is open to anyone in the public as part of Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week.

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com

by Alyssa Rudolph

Free stethoscope checks aim to raise heart valve disease awareness

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