{"id":36762,"date":"2023-04-11T08:20:18","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T13:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/?p=36762"},"modified":"2023-04-18T08:45:19","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T13:45:19","slug":"mitral-valve-stethoscope-patient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2023\/04\/11\/mitral-valve-stethoscope-patient\/","title":{"rendered":"Mitral Valve Awareness: A Stethoscope Led to Howard’s Life-Saving Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Within minutes of announcing the launch of Mitral Valve Awareness Disease Week<\/a>, my inbox started to receive great patient stories in response to this global initiative.<\/p>\n

For example, this email from Howard Powders really demonstrates the insidious nature of mitral valve disease. As you read Howard’s story, please consider that patients with severe mitral valve disease – who do not get treatment – have a mortality rate of 20% after one year and 50% after 5 years.<\/p>\n

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\"MitralHoward & Erlinda Powders<\/p>\n

 
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Howard Says…<\/h2>\n

In his email, Howard wrote to me:
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Hi Adam, It was a general practitioner’s stethoscope – during my yearly physical exam – that probably saved my life. The general practitioner heard a heart murmur that got me to a cardiologist. I was then diagnosed with severe mitral valve regurgitation.<\/strong>\u00a0 Eventually, I had mitral valve repair with a great heart surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Hoffberger in Sarasota, Florida.\u00a0This all happened 9 months ago.<\/p>\n

Your website and Mitral Valve Disease Awareness Week<\/a> is providing invaluable and comprehensive information to everyone diagnosed with mitral valve disease! Thank you!”<\/p>\n

As for the recovery, I am a walker.\u00a0 So, I began walking every day at home after my three days in the hospital. One week after surgery, I was walking outside again like pre-op. As I learned in one of your new videos… If you are active and exercising pre-op, you will recover faster.<\/p>\n

Now, there is nothing I can\u2019t do!\u00a0 The incision soreness has finally dissipated about 90% now. That took around 9 months. I went for minimally invasive mitral valve repair. I was 77 at the time of the surgery but in excellent health. My surgeon told me I have no cardiovascular disease. I hope you are doing well too. Your website is absolutely terrific!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Thanks Howard for Sharing Your Story!<\/h2>\n

On behalf of our community, many thanks to Howard for sharing his mitral valve success surgery story. I am thrilled to learn how a quick listen of Howard’s heart with a stethoscope led to the detection of severe mitral valve disease which may have saved his life.<\/p>\n

Related Links:<\/p>\n