Know your numbers for a healthy heart

Cardiovascular Specialist Nurse Sarah McStay

People over 40 are being reminded about the importance of having a regular blood pressure check to keep their heart healthy, as part of ‘Know Your Numbers Week’ (12 - 18 September).

High blood pressure is just one of the risk factors for developing heart disease, along with cholesterol, diabetes and having an unhealthy lifestyle. Many people in the UK don’t know that they have high blood pressure and the only way to find out is to have it measured.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, means that a person’s blood pressure is constantly higher than the normal levels. It is not usually something that can be felt or noticed, but over time the heart may become abnormally large and beat less effectively. This significantly increases the chance of having a heart attack or stroke, so it’s really important to have a regular check up.

Around 450 people under 75 from the Rochdale borough die each year from having a heart attack or stroke.

Hearty Lives Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale is a joint project between the British Heart Foundation and NHS that helps people to keep their heart healthy. Three cardiovascular specialist nurses work with people who are at increased risk of having a heart attack, including those with high blood pressure, to make improvements to their lifestyle.

“The key to keeping your heart healthy is to lead a healthy and active lifestyle,” explains Cardiovascular Specialist Nurse, Sarah McStay. “This includes not smoking, having a healthy weight and keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol low through a good diet and exercise.

“We know that some people find it difficult to do some of these things and so we are able to provide advice and support so that you can make some healthy lifestyle changes. We also conduct regular cardiovascular checks including blood pressure and cholesterol so we can monitor how you are doing.”