However, ongoing patient research suggests that second opinions are
not obtained for many patients preparing for heart valve replacement
operations.
“The data suggests that 35% of patients do not get a second opinion prior
to procedures including aortic valve replacement and mitral valve
replacement,” notes Adam Pick, author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve
Surgery.
While some heart valve surgeries are performed on an emergency basis, most forms of valvular disease (e.g. aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation) are diagnosed in advance of surgical treatment. Heart valve surgery is performed as the disorder progresses from mild to moderate to severe status.
“After speaking with thousands of patients, I have learned that heart
valve diagnosis can be a tricky process,” notes Pick, who is a double heart
valve replacement patient. “Given the serious, invasive nature of most
cardiac procedures, I strongly encourage patients to get medical consensus
through a second opinion.”
At Adam’s Heart Valve Surgery Blog (located at
http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/), Pick has posted several patient stories
that illustrate the valuable utility of second opinions.
“In most situations, second opinions confirm the diagnosis and the need
for heart valve surgery,” Pick stated. “However, in select cases, a second
opinion provides incremental insight that alters a patient’s prognosis.”
For this reason, Pick stresses the need for second opinions among his
readers.
“Failing to get a second opinion could be a critical, perhaps deadly,
missed step for the patient,” Pick noted. “So… When I talk to patients
preparing for heart valve surgery, the first question I ask them is, ‘Did
you get a second opinion?’”
About the Author:
Adam Pick is a double heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide to Heart Valve Surgery.
Adam also founded www.Heart-Valve-Surgery.com
to help patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve
surgery from the patient perspective. This unique website provides over 2,000 pages of complimentary information (videos,
patient stories, recovery tips, clinical research) to support patients before, during and after heart valve surgery.
