Often called the “silent killer,” heart disease kills millions worldwide every year. A regular heart check-up with your GP is the best way to identify and avoid risk factors before they can cause harm.
Why is heart health important?
Did you know that your heart pumps over 2000 gallons of blood every single day and beats about 2.5 billion times over the average lifetime?
Yes, our heart works non-stop to keep us alive, distributing oxygen, hormones, and nutrients throughout the body, which are essential for our survival.
But the heart can also fail. Even minor dysfunctions or abnormalities such as unmanaged diabetes may cause changes to your heart health, thanks to – poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and infection.
Cardiovascular disease causes 1 in 4 deaths and kills 1 person every 12 minutes (or 188 Australian’s a day)
Why should we get a regular heart health check-up?
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, cardiovascular disease, including Coronary Heart Disease and strokes, kills thousands of Australians every year.
Heart disease, including strokes, are chronic health conditions that continue to worsen if we fail to make the right choices. For instance, failing to visit a doctor regularly or avoiding early warning signs of heart disease can put you at increased risk.
More Statistics
- Cardiovascular disease causes 1 in 4 deaths and kills 1 person every 12 minutes (or 188 Australian’s a day).
- Heart Disease costs the Australian economy $5 billion each year and kills around 40% more males than females.
- Deaths from Cardiovascular disease have been declining over the last 10 years, due to research into risk factors, medications, and interventions such as the heart health check
How do I know if I am at risk for heart disease?
In Australia, anyone aged 30 years and over should have a regular heart health check with their doctors.
Apart from this recommendation, there are several health conditions and lifestyle choices that can increase your risk for heart disease.
Your risk for heart risk is increased, if you:
- have high blood pressure
- an unhealthy level of blood cholesterol
- if you smoke or drink in excess
- have obesity or unhealthy body weight
- previous medical history of cardiovascular disease or a heart attack
- unmanaged diabetes
- unhealthy diet and living a sedentary lifestyle
What to expect in a heart health check-up
A Heart health check is an annual check-up with the nurse and GP to determine the likelihood of you having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years. During the appointment, we will look at the ‘whole picture’ and not just each of the individual risk factors.
A heart health check involves:
- A discussion about your diet, exercise & lifestyle; family health history, and overall health (including kidney disease and diabetes).
- Checking your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and conducting an ECG (checking the electrical activity of your heart)
The information we gather will allow us to inform you of your risk for cardiovascular disease or stroke in the next 5 years, and develop an action plan and provide you with the knowledge and tools to reduce your risk.
Book your Heart Health Check-up at High Street Medical Clinic
Being aware of your risk factors and undergoing a regular heart-health assessment is highly recommended to lead a healthy life. At our clinic, we have placed an interdisciplinary medical team to provide a Healthy Heart Management Plan. It also includes preparing management plans for those patients requiring multidisciplinary, team-based care from a GP.
Talk to your doctor today or phone the clinic to book on (03) 9510 5500
