Heart Health Week
Did you know...?
If you are over 45 you are eligible for free a Heart Health Check with your GP?
A Heart Health Check is a check-up performed by your GP that helps you understand your risk factors for heart disease and estimate how likely you are to have a heart attack or a stroke in the next five years.
Don't worry! You're not going to have to run on a treadmill or have any surgical procedures done during this visit and it only takes about twenty minutes.
A Heart Health Check usually involves checking your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. You will also talk about your medical and family history as well as your lifestyle - what you eat, how active you are, whether you smoke and if you are maintaining a healthy weight. Your GP will estimate your risk by putting this information into a calculator and will let you know whether you are low, medium or high risk of having a heart attack or a stroke in the next five years.
Your GP or nurse will develop a plan of short and long-term steps to help you lower your risk of heart disease - like ways to be more active, quit smoking and maintain a heart healthy diet. They may also refer you to a dietician or provide medication if you are at higher risk.
Keeping your heart healthy at whatever age is the most important thing you can do to help prevent and manage heart disease.
