National Heart Failure Awareness Initiative

With 1 in 50 Australians affected by Heart Failure, it is a pressing health concern that claims 8 lives every day and poses an ever-growing risk to our population, especially those over 65 years of age. Despite the fact that Australians spent over one million days in hospital every year due to heart failure at an estimated cost of $3.1 billion, not much is being done to prevent heart failure.

Around 520 000 people fall victim to heart failure annually and live with the impacts, and given that heart disease and heart attacks remain Australia’s most significant threat, killing more people than any other cause, it is surprising that there is little education or awareness.

Australia’s foremost preventative cardiologist Dr Warrick Bishop, who heads the national Health Heart Network, says, “The low levels of awareness about heart failure are leaving Australians vulnerable to this condition. As a nation, we really need to take a preventative approach to curb these numbers and save lives.”

That is why hearts4heart has launched the inaugural Heart Failure Awareness Week (27 June – 3 July) which aims to reduce the impacts of heart failure through raising awareness of the risk of heart failure, recognising symptoms, and educating caregivers and health professionals around patient care. However, the initiative envisions raising awareness among the broader populous throughout the year.

“Sadly, preventative health testing does currently not focus sufficiently on heart health and it needs to change. We are still largely taking a tow-truck approach and manage heart disease, heart attacks, and heart failure once it occurs – which often is too late,” says Dr Bishop.

Early symptoms of heart failure range from shortness of breath after just a little exercise, irregular heartbeat or palpitations, swelling of legs, feet, or stomach, and extreme tiredness, low or no energy, among others.

“It is pressingly important to not disregard such seemingly small symptoms, best yet, to go get your heart health checked,” says Dr Bishop.

There is a heart health risk calculator at www.virtualheartcheck.com.au which takes the first step in identifying your risk group. From there you may benefit from a 3D Heart Imaging Scan to help  with further recommendations.

Hearts4heart recommends, “If you’re over 65, or experiencing any of the above symptoms – be heart smart. Get your heart checked! You’ve only got one heart – don’t fail it.

While Heart Failure Awareness Week has now passed, any day is the perfect opportunity to take preventative action for your heart – so book your heart health
check today!