Every half hour, another Australian dies from coronary heart disease, a condition many don’t even know they have. Now a former 7NEWS presenter is urging all Australians over 45 to get checked, after losing her fiancé to the silent killer.
Kay McGrath’s late partner Richard was an adventurer who had recently completed a solo motorbike ride around Australia. The couple’s visit to India was meant to be the first of many more adventures together.
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“We were both seemingly in good health, but not fully appreciating the silent killer travelling with us,” McGrath said. “Richard’s heart failed, and it was clear our understanding of his risks had failed too.”
Derek Chew of the Heart Foundation agreed education is the key.
“The symptoms that commonly go unnoticed are often symptoms that people don’t necessarily connect to their heart,” he said.
“Certainly heart disease increases with age, but unfortunately being young doesn’t mean that we’re immune from heart disease.”
The Heart Foundation recommends a 20-minute heart health check with a GP. If you’re over 45, it’s free at bulk billing clinics or subsidised by Medicare in private clinics.
The check examines family history, lifestyle, blood pressure, waist circumference, weight and age. Blood tests check for diabetes and measure cholesterol levels.
“Sometimes it’s useful for us to put all of these factors together and work out a risk score for you,” GP Sumera Angus said.
The calculator analyses key risk factors and forecasts chances of a heart attack or stroke over the next five years, giving a rating of low, moderate or high.
Some risk factors, such as high cholesterol, may require medication like statins. However, doctors warn a reassuring risk score doesn’t always tell the full story, and further testing may be recommended.
“There is a test that’s available that looks at your arteries specifically and how much calcium deposits are there already,” Angus said.
Experts stress the importance of knowing your numbers — blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, waist circumference and weight.
Most importantly, Australians should never ignore symptoms, which can be subtle. While chest pain remains the most common symptom, many women experience heart attacks without it.
“The only way that a Ferrari or an Aston Martin stays a Ferrari or an Aston Martin is through self care, or care of the engine,” Chew said.
“For us, the heart is at the core of that mission.
“We all want to be there for the people around us, the people we love, the people we care about, the people who depend on us.”
Kay’s story was at the centre of the first two instalments of 7NEWS’ four-part Heart of It series, in partnership with the Heart Foundation.
The special explores the heart health numbers everyone should know, the importance of speaking up for yourself, recognising the warning signs and what you can do to protect your heart.
For heart health information, including Medicare-subsidised Heart Health Checks, heart attack warning signs and a heart age calculator, visit the Heart Foundation at the links above.
