Heart Valve Awareness Day

February 17, 2026

As we age, it’s common to chalk up fatigue, shortness of breath, or feeling less active to “just aging.” But for some, these symptoms, or even the absence of symptoms, could signal a serious heart problem. Nearly 12 million Americans are living with heart valve disease, yet one in three older adults doesn’t even know it. With Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day coming up on February 22nd, Dr. Mark Russo, Professor and Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, joins us to explain why awareness, early detection, and screening are so important.

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