After nearly two decades of decline, death rates from valvular heart disease among U.S. adults aged 65 and older have risen by nearly 5 percent, from 104 to more than 109 deaths per 100,000 people between 2018 and 2023, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026 in Chicago, November 6 to 9. The study author is Hritvik Jain, a resident physician in internal medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. The impact was highest among men, non-Hispanic white adults, adults aged 85 and older, and people living in nonmetropolitan areas, according to the research highlights. Death rates from heart valve disease are projected to remain elevated through 2040 rather than resuming the earlier decline, researchers said, highlighting the need for earlier detection and timely access to heart valve care. The findings are from a research abstract presented at a scientific meeting and are considered preliminary until published as a full peer-reviewed manuscript.