2 minute read
Importance of a heart check
A heart health check looks to detect issues with your heart health. Coronary heart disease is usually the underlying cause of a heart attack and is Australia’s number one cause of death. Coronary heart disease is caused when the arteries leading to the heart become hardened or narrow.
A heart health check is an important part of overall health and should be conducted every 5 years once you reach 45 years and over or 30 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
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For those that are in the 65+ category heart health checks are of particular importance as the risk doubles every decade after 55 in fact 75% of strokes occur in people 65+. This is due to a range of factors including reduction in physical activity and a higher level of conditions that increase cardiovascular diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension. A heart health check at DPV Health is a checkup performed by your Doctor or Practice Nurse that helps you understand your risk factors for heart disease and estimates how likely you are to have a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years. When coming in for a heart health check there are a few things we look at to determine your overall heart health. These include performing a blood pressure check, an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, checking cholesterol and blood sugar levels and a discussion about your lifestyle. Your lifestyle is an important part of assessing your risk of heart disease, as these factors can all play a part. You may be asked about: your diet, physical activity levels, if you smoke or drink alcohol, whether you are maintaining a healthy weight and your medical and family history. We use the information gathered to assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next five years and if needed we will implement a heart health plan for improving your risk factors for heart disease and keep on top of your heart health. This may include taking medication and making lifestyle changes to reduce your risk. Here at DPV Health we offer a wide range of health professionals that we may refer you to in order to best support your health needs. For example, this could include seeing a dietitian to help you make the right changes to your diet or other lifestyle support programs and walking groups. Understanding your risk of having a heart attack or stroke is the first step in lowering the risk.
WATCH VIDEO
In this video, Andrew (Practice Nurse at DPV Health) talks about the imporatnce of a heart check.
