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.