DOCTOR CALLING: By Dr Kevin Hill of the South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group
South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is backing February’s British Heart Foundation National Heart Month.
With Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) the umbrella term for all diseases of the heart and circulation – still the UK’s biggest killer and responsible for one death every seven minutes – the CCG have urged everyone to support the campaign.
Patients, carers and the general public are urged to make some simple changes to their lifestyles to bring about long term health.
Today alone:
• 435 people will lose their lives through CVD and more than 100 of those will be younger than 75.
• Seven million people fight their daily battles with CVD. • • 515 people will go to hospital due to a heart attack.
• 190 people will die from a heart attack.
* Twelve babies will be diagnosed with a heart defect.
National Heart Month focuses on small changes to help prevent the onset of disease; prevention is better than cure.
Millions of people across the UK are affected by cardiovascular disease and some simple changes can help prevent and/or treat many conditions.
With heart disease affecting so many, it’s not just patients that are affected. Carers and families can obtain support to help make their loved one’s life easier; local support groups can be found at https www.bhf.org.uk/about-us/find-bhf-near-you
National Heart Month is an important campaign to encourage us all to look after our own long term health. We all need to care for our hearts by considering what we eat, cutting back on alcohol, quitting smoking and increasing our levels of activity which can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of a lift.
Helping to eliminate the big risk factors, controlling cholesterol and keeping blood pressure safe have a positive impact on health and wellbeing; especially the heart.
It is still a sad fact that if you suffer a cardiac arrest out of hospital in the UK, you’re treatment is still less effective than if you’d taken steps to promote a healthy lifestyle. The UK is lagging behind other nations in terms of treatment and care; this must change and making long term changes to your lifestyle can help, significantly.