‘Heart disease is Australia’s leading cause of death affecting families and communities around the country.’ – Heart Research Australia, 2021.
Heart Research Australia encourages your workplace to wear red and donate to help raise awareness of the prevalence of heart disease and the devastation it causes. Donations will go towards life-saving break throughs to help us keep families together for longer.
What is heart disease?
According to Heart Research Australia, heart disease is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that affect your heart which may include:
- Coronary Heart Disease;
- Heart Attack;
- Heart Failure;
- Stroke;
- Arrythmias (abnormal heart beats);
- Aneurysm (a bulge, caused by weakening of the heart muscle or artery);
- Septal Defect (an abnormal opening between the left and right sides of the heart);
- Peripheral Vascular Disease;
- Congenital Heart Disease (malformations in the heart or blood vessels that occur before birth);
What are the risk factors of heart disease?
- Smoking;
- Stress;
- Anger;
- Depression;
- High cholesterol;
- High blood pressure;
- Being inactive;
- Diabetes;
- Being overweight;
- An unhealthy diet;
- Increase in age;
- Men are a higher risk than women;
- Ethnic background;
- Family history;
How can you prevent heart disease?
‘Prevention is the best medicine. 8 in 10 cases of premature heart disease & stroke are preventable through healthy lifestyle factors’ – Cardiologist, Dr Edward Barin.
- Exercise (aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day);
- Eat well;
- Keep track of your health measurements – including cholesterol levels, blood pressure, weight, sugar levels, waist circumference and exercise capacity);
- Stay optimistic – many studies show a state of mind can protect, as well as damage heart health;
If you would like to raise awareness and donate to Heart Research Australia, click the following link – https://www.heartresearch.com.au/event/redfeb/