GP Heart Valve Disease Survey

Just 3 minutes to complete our anonymous GP Heart Valve Disease Survey.

For the first time in Ireland and as part of the National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health (NIPC) Third Age Heart Health Initiative, we want to establish what the experience of valve disease is in general practice.
We very much value your experience, views and attitudes regarding this largely overlooked condition.

On completion of the survey we will use the findings to create educational resources to include what the GP needs to look out for in relevant symptoms, on auscultation and when to refer.

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* 1. I feel confident I can detect and diagnose moderate to severe valvular heart disease with my stethoscope alone (i.e., no echocardiography):

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

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* 2. Based on your clinical experience is it worthwhile asking for salient symptoms for the detection of valvular heart disease?

No, the symptoms are too nonspecific and vague

Yes, but taking a full history for all heart valve symptoms is only useful among patients who first complain of symptoms suggestive of heart valve disease

Yes, all patients over 60 should be routinely screened for heart valve symptoms

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* 3. In my clinical practice of patients over 60 years, I do a stethoscope examination to screen for valvular heart disease among asymptomatic patients:

All of the time

More than 50% of the time

Less than 50% of the time

Never

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* 4. In my clinical practice of patients over 75 years, I do a stethoscope examination to screen for valvular heart disease among asymptomatic patients:

All of the time

More than 50% of the time

Less than 50% of the time

Never

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* 5. Based on your clinical experience what do you think the prevalence is of moderate or severe valvular heart disease in Irish adults between 60-74 years?

0-5%

5-10%

10-20%

>20%

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* 6. Based on your clinical experience what do you think the prevalence is of moderate or severe valvular heart disease in Irish adults ≥75 years?

0-5%

5-10%

10-20%

>20%

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* 7. Based on your clinical experience of patients over 60 years please rank in order of importance from 1(most important)-5 (least important), the need to screen for the following medical conditions:

Heart Valve Disease

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Hypertension

Atrial Fibrillation

Diabetes

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* 8. What do you see as being barriers to diagnosing valvular heart disease?

Lack of direct access to echocardiography

Waiting times for outpatient appointment

Patient unable to attend outpatients

Other (please specify)

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* 9. What percentage of patients with suspected asymptomatic valvular heart disease do you refer for a specialist opinion or echocardiography?

Less than 50%

50% to 75%

More than 75%

100%

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* 10. An elderly patient (>75 years) with severe valvular heart disease must be able to undergo general anaesthesia and major surgery to be treated and those that cannot are not suitable for referral to a specialist. Please choose one of the options below:

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

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* 11. The only treatment for severe symptomatic heart valve disease is surgical replacement of the valve. Please choose one of the options below:

Agree

Disagree

Not sure

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* 12. Frail patients and/or patients aged over 90 years are not candidates for heart valve replacement. Please choose one of the options below:

Agree

Disagree

Not sure

Please complete some demographic details below:

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* 13. Gender

Male

Female

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* 14. Years in general practice

<10

11-25

>25

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* 15. Location of your practice

City

Urban

Rural

Mixed

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* 16. Thank you for completing this survey. Please enter a charity of your choice and we will pick one charity at random to receive a €500 donation.

Thank you for your participation