Did you know? Coronary heart disease …
- is the leading cause of death in Australia
- 79 people die in Australia every single day
- every 80 seconds someone is hospitalised with it
- 580,000 Australians aged 18 and over have it (1)
February is Heart Health Month. This is a timely reminder of the importance of a healthy heart and what you can do about it. To support Heart Health Month our centre will be splashed with our favourite colour red and everyone is encouraged to get a Heart Health Check.
A Heart Health Check is a 20-minute health assessment of your heart and associated risk factors. It measures your risk of heart attack over the next few years and how you can reduce this risk. Your doctor can do this quickly and simply.
An annual Heart Health Check is recommended by the Heart Foundation for everyone 45 years and older.(2)
The sad reason is because coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for people aged between 45 and 64.(3) More than 2,000 people die from coronary heart disease every year in this age group alone.(4)
Overall men are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack as women.(5) Indigenous Australians die at 50% the rate of non-Indigenous Australians.(6) Coronary heart disease can hit any one of any age of any background.
There are six steps you can take to help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease:
- Quit smoking
- Follow a healthy balanced diet
- Be active
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Limit alcohol intake
- See a GP and do a Heart Health Check (if recommended)
You can discuss with a GP other risk factors including high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and family medical history.(7)
The good news is you can take positive steps to reduce the risk with the help of your doctor. And there is no better time to take your first step than during Heart Health Month.
Visit your GP to book your Heart Health Check.
The information above is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. If you would like medical advice, please seek specific advice tailored to your circumstances from a medical practitioner.
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1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Coronary Heart Disease (2020) https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/coronary-heart-disease; Heart Foundation, Key Statistics: Heart Disease (2019) https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/About-us/Australia-Heart-Disease-Statistics
2. Heart Foundation, For Professionals: Heart Health Checks (2021) https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/activities-finding-or-opinion/fp-absolute-risk-heart-health-checks
3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Leading Causes of Death (2021) https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/causes-of-death
4. Ibid, reference to 2016-2018
5. Heart Foundation, Key Statistics: Heart Attack (2019) https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/activities-finding-or-opinion/key-statistics-heart-attack
6. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Cardiovascular Disease (2020) https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/heart-stroke-vascular-disease/cardiovascular-health-compendium/contents/how-many-australians-have-cardiovascular-disease
7. Heart Foundation, Key Statistics: Risk Factors for Heart Disease (2020) https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/activities-finding-or-opinion/key-statistics-risk-factors-for-heart-disease