General News
23 February, 2023
Heart health front of mind during February at MDHS
As the month dedicated to heart disease comes to an end, a local healthcare provider is urging residents to make healthy choices throughout the year. This February — national heart awareness month — the Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS)...
As the month dedicated to heart disease comes to an end, a local healthcare provider is urging residents to make healthy choices throughout the year.
This February — national heart awareness month — the Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) celebrated RedFeb, an annual fundraising and awareness campaign run by Heart Research Australia to highlight the prevalence of heart illnesses and the impact it can have on local families and communities.
MDHS community nursing team leader Kristen Venn said the service used the campaign as an opportunity to emphasise the importance of healthy lifestyle choices among staff and the wider community.
“In the Central Goldfields the incidence of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is much higher than the national and state average,” she said.
“At MDHS we see the impact of heart disease on individuals in our community every day.
“That’s why we are encouraging community members to look after their own heart by learning the signs of heart disease and how to reduce your risk.”
Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death in the country for men and women — it kills 50 people every day, and it is estimated that an Australian suffers a heart attack every 10 minutes.
While it is often perceived as common among middle aged men, the risk of heart problems increase in women once they hit menopause according to Ms Venn.
Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that every day, 109 Australian women have an acute coronary event, such as a heart attack or stroke — roughly amounting to 40,100 events annually.
The data also shows that every year around 22,000 women die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) — that’s 60 women a day — with over 200,000 women hospitalised due to CVD.
Ms Venn said that despite these sobering statistics, many women are unaware that they are also at risk of heart disease.
“One of the main problems is that many people, particularly women, aren’t aware of their risk, and that these conditions can be prevented by living a healthier lifestyle,” she said.
“There are some common misconceptions when it comes to symptoms associated with heart disease in women so it is important that women take the steps to understand them.”
Signs and symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person, and there are some differences between men and women.
Only one in three women will experience the ‘typical’ heart attack symptoms such as pain in the centre of the chest — this can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, aching, numbness, squeezing, fullness or pain in the chest. This discomfort can spread to the arms, neck, jaw or back, and can last for several minutes or come and go.
Instead many women suffer from the less common signs of a heart attack including neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal pain, shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort, dizziness and nausea.
“Please don’t ignore the warning signs. If you are experiencing any symptoms get them checked immediately,” Ms Venn said.
“We also encourage people to get a regular heart health check with their GP to better understand their risk of a heart attack and to get the support or referrals they need.
“Knowing the signs of heart disease can help save your life or the life of a loved one.”
Heart disease, Ms Venn said, is usually caused by a combination of things rather than a single risk factor.
“You can reduce your risk of heart disease by improving your lifestyle choices and managing risk factors such as smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol and weight,” she said.
“You can do this by eating well, getting regular physical activity, giving up smoking, managing your weight, cutting down on alcohol, and looking after your mental health.”
There are also effective treatments available to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol for people at high risk of coronary heart disease or other cardiovascular diseases.
It is recommended that anyone aged 45 years and over, or 30 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, have a regular heart health check with their doctor.
If you suspect you or someone else is having a heart attack call Triple Zero (000) immediately.