Aortic and Pulmonic Valvular Heart Disease

Valvular heart disease is a growing public health concern. Over the past century, there has been a shift in the primary etiology of valvular heart disease in industrialized nations. Rheumatic heart disease, which remains the most common etiology of heart valve disease globally, has become rare in western countries while degenerative valvular disease has become more common. The prevalence of degenerative heart valve disease increases with age and, consequently, the prevalence of heart valve disease is increasing with the aging population in western countries.