CDC HVD Animation Script
[Narrator] Your patients count on you to notice the signs and symptoms of heart disease. Make valve health part of the conversation. Prevention, early diagnosis, and management can help patients live healthy lives.

[Patient 1] Am I at risk of heart valve disease?

[Health care professional (HCP)]: You’re over 65, and you said your brother had a heart valve replacement. So, yes— due to your family history, you have a higher risk of developing heart valve problems.

[Patient 2] How do I know if I have heart valve disease?

[HCP] 
After I ask you a few questions, I'll listen to your heart for any irregular sounds. Let's get a closer look with an echocardiogram—that's an ultrasound of your heart. 

[Narrator] More than 5 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year. 

[Patient 3] So I have heart valve disease. Now what?

[Cardiologist] You’ll need regular checkups for your heart. Also, you might take medicine for the symptoms…and you might need surgery—to either repair or replace your heart valve.

[Patient 3] I’d like to keep my heart healthy. What can I do? 

[Cardiologist] Eat healthy, stay active, manage your stress, and avoid tobacco use. And be sure to take good care of your teeth—gum disease can affect your heart, too. Work with your health care team and get to know your heart.

[Narrator] Visit: CDC.gov/knowyourheart for heart valve disease resources and information.