Whereas more than 5,000,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with heart valve disease, which involves damage to one or more of the heart’s valves and can reduce blood flow, causing the heart to work harder and the body to get less oxygen; Whereas more than 22,000 people in the United States die from heart valve disease every year; Whereas more than 1 in 8 people age 75 and older are estimated to have moderate to severe valve disease; Whereas 1 in 10 women age 75 and older are estimated to have valve disease; Whereas if not treated, some forms of heart valve disease can lead to major health problems including: decreased mobility, disability, loss of independence, heart failure, stroke, blood clotting, or even death; Whereas when aortic stenosis, a common form of valve disease, becomes severe, the average survival rate without surgical intervention is as low as 50 percent at 2 years after the onset of symptoms and 20 percent at 5 years; Whereas symptoms of heart valve disease such as shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, and fainting are often dismissed as normal aspects of aging; Whereas people are at higher risk of developing heart valve disease if they have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, diabetes, coronary heart disease, a congenital heart abnormality or family history of valve disease, a history of heart problems like heart attack or heart failure, rheumatic fever or infective endocarditis, or previous valve disease; Whereas people are also at higher risk of developing heart valve disease if they are a smoker, overweight or obese, or older in age; Whereas heart valve disease, with proper education and awareness, can often be detected through a simple physical exam and treated with either valve repair or valve replacement; Whereas lifestyle changes and medication may relieve many symptoms and complications of valve disease