Cardiologist Q&A: Do Leaking Heart Valves Require Surgery?

Reports suggest that only 8% of leaking mitral valves get treatment. That said, leaking heart valves are under-diagnosed and under-treated. In this video, you will get important information about the need for surgery for patients with leaky heart valves, which are commonly first diagnosed as a "heart murmur" by a primary care physician. This video interview features Dr. James Thomas, the Director of the Center for Heart Valve Disease at Northwestern Medicine. Dr. Thomas is widely regarded for his work in cardiac echocardiography which led him to a position with NASA. (Video posted on May 18, 2018)