HEART Week, from May 5-11, provides an opportunity for all Australians to start a conversation about heart health.
It gives you the tools to speak with loved ones and helps to take positive steps in reducing risk of heart disease.
Did you know that around 120 people in Australia die from heart disease each year?
Ninety per cent of heart disease cases are preventable. Read on to find out more about how you can assess and reduce your risk.
Taking the steps to prevent heart disease starts with knowing your risk factors and then making positive changes to lower your risk.
Some risk factors can’t be controlled but others can, including food intake, being inactive, unhealthy weight, smoking, alcohol, blood sugar, elevated cholestoral and blood pressure.
Healthy lifestyle changes that will help can include:
• Following a heart healthy diet (incorporating plenty of fresh and unprocessed foods, wholegrains, fibre and healthy fats and avoiding salt, added sugar and unhealthy fats).
• Increasing exercise (getting at least 30 minutes exercise in a day can make a world of difference to your overall health).
• Eat well and stay active to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
• If you smoke or vape, consider quitting. Call Quitline on 13 78 48.
• Avoid or cut back on alcohol, drink more water.
• Manage stress levels and your mental wellbeing.
You can get involved this Heart Week by booking a heart health check with your GP. A 20-minute check up with your GP can support you in assessing your risk and discussing your options.
Finding out your heart age
The heart age calculator available online at heartfoundation.org.au/heart-week can help you understand your risk of heart disease in as little as three minutes by answering a few simple questions about known risk factors such as your age, sex and blood pressure.
Getting in contact with the cardiac rehabilitation service at Swan Hill District Health
The team can provide one-on-one consultation with the cardiac nurse or exercise physiologist.
They will assist in recognising and reducing risk factors, helping you to have a greater understanding of your condition and guide discussions with other health professionals. Call the team on 5033 9321.
You can also find lots of other helpful resources on the Heart Foundation website.
Heart diseases statistics
Deaths
• Heart disease kills one person every 18 minutes, equating to on average, 79 persons dying of heart disease every day.
• This accounts for nearly one in five (17.1 per cent) of all deaths, with more males dying of heart disease than females, each year.
• Deaths from heart disease have been decreasing over the last 10 years.
Hospitalisations
• Someone is hospitalised for heart disease every 80 seconds, equating to a total of 1112 people per day, on average.
• Forty-six per cent more men than women are hospitalised due to heart disease, with hospitalisations due to heart disease remaining relatively steady over time.
