Talking to Your Doctor

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As you discuss your heart valve disease treatment options with your doctor, it may be helpful to have a checklist of topics to review and a list of questions to ask at your next appointment. In the moment, it can be hard to remember all of your concerns, but listing them out ahead of time or using one of these convenient checklists can help.

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Topics to Review with Your Doctor

As your doctor creates a treatment plan, you will want to understand what goes into his or her decisions. Topics you may want to cover include your test results, the severity of your heart valve disease, how to protect your valve from further damage and what to expect from surgery.

Review and Print Treatment Conversation Checklist 

Questions to Ask About Your Heart Valve Surgery  

What do you need to do to prepare for heart valve surgery? What are common complications of open heart surgery? Prepare a list your questions for your cardiologist, cardiac surgeon or nurse and you will be well prepared for your next visit to the clinic.

Review and Print Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Last Reviewed: January 19, 2010 2506