Heart Week an initiative by the National Heart Foundation 4 – 10 May 2014
Almost 10,000 Australians die of a heart attack and more than 8,000 die of a stroke every year. Many heart attacks and strokes are preventable through simple lifestyle changes.
Why is it important for me to know my risk?
It is important to know your chance of having a heart attack or stroke in order to help prevent having one. Your likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years is known as your ‘absolute cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk’. The more risk factors you have, the more chance you have of having a stroke or heart attack. To find out your risk, visit your doctor for a Heart Health Check.
Listed below are some risk factors you can change, including:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Poor diet
- Physical inactivity
- Being overweight
How can I reduce my blood pressure and cholesterol to improve my heart health?
- Quit smoking
- Take part in regular physical activity
- Eat a healthy diet
- Reduce you salt intake
- Limit your alcohol intake
- Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
- Visit your GP regularly to keep a check on your levels
For more information visit heartfoundation.org.au/risk.
