Heart Week (4–10 May) is Australia's national heart health awareness week. It provides an opportunity for health professionals and people living in Australia to start a conversation about heart disease and take steps to improve their heart health. With one person in Australia having a heart attack or stroke every four minutes, early awareness and prevention have never been more important. Never miss a BEAT this Heart Week by taking steps to improve your heart health.
Start a conversation
Your local pharmacy is one of the easiest places to begin. Whether you’re picking up a prescription or running errands, pharmacists can help you take small but important steps toward better heart health.
One of the simplest things you can do is get your blood pressure checked. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, and a quick check at the pharmacy can give you a better understanding of your heart health and whether you should follow up with your GP.
Understand your risk
If you’re 45 and over (or 30 and over if you’re First Nations, and 35 and over if you’re living with diabetes), speak to your GP about having a Heart Health Check. It is a 20-minute check up with your GP to assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next five years and discuss steps you can take to lower your risk. Heart Health Checks are subsidised by Medicare and are free at practices that bulk bill.
If you’re not yet eligible, you can still learn more about your heart by using the Heart Age Calculator. It’s a simple online tool that estimates your individual risk by calculating your heart age. Your heart age is calculated based on well known risk factors like age, sex, blood pressure, and cholesterol compared to a defined healthy range for someone your age.
Keep your heart healthy
Reducing your risk of heart disease starts with understanding your risk factors and making positive lifestyle changes to lower your risk. Here are some ways you can do this:
- Follow a heart-healthy eating pattern: Enjoy a variety of fresh and unprocessed foods.
- Move more: Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week.
- Be smoke-free, and avoid or drink less alcohol: If you smoke tobacco and/or use e-cigarettes, consider quitting; Choose alcohol-free alternatives and reduce overall intake for better heart health.
- Manage stress and mental wellbeing: Identify sources of stress and think of ways to best manage it. Seek professional help if you are struggling to manage stress.
- Know your levels: Regularly have your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar checked by a health professional.
This Heart Week, Never miss a BEAT, start a conversation about heart health with your loved ones and take positive steps to reduce your heart disease risk.
Learn more via the Heart Week Website
