One in 20 community-dwelling elderly patients have clinically significant — yet asymptomatic — valvular heart disease, Australian researchers have found.

Results from their study — presented at the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand’s (CSANZ) 70th annual scientific meeting on the Gold Coast last week — also show that up to 2% of over-65s have moderate to severe aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation or aortic regurgitation.

Furthermore, the overall case load of valve disease is projected to increase by more than half a million patients by 2060 because of Australia’s ageing population.

Lead researcher and cardiologist Professor Tom Marwick, who is director of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, said health authorities needed to prepare for this expected shift in disease burden.