Campaigners are calling for urgent action to stop preventable deaths from heart valve disease – as new research reveals a diagnosis postcode lottery.

A survey by charity Heart Valve Voice found patients are three times more likely to face delays in the UK's most deprived postcodes - and it is calling for action.

Valve disease affects how the heart pumps blood and can be fatal if left untreated.

In the survey of more than 300 patients, 75% of those in the most deprived areas experienced a delay in treatment compared to about 20% of other areas.

Wil Woan, executive director of Heart Valve Voice, said: "Every day delayed is a missed opportunity to intervene early."

He said about 1.5 million over-65s have heart valve disease, and while it is common, and serious, it is "very treatable".

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