Healthy Heart Check

Healthy Heart Great Advice Your pharmacist is here to help

With the heart pumping 100,000 beats a day, our eight pints of blood do the work of 5,000 gallons.

Knowing your own heart
The heart pumps blood around the body and beats about 100,000 times a day. The blood flows into the arteries and then through a network of increasingly smaller blood vessels until it reaches the capillaries – the smallest blood vessels in the body. With every beat, the blood carries with it a fresh supply of oxygen and nutrients (fats, sugars, vitamins and minerals that help keep the body working.

Every two minutes, someone in the UK has a heart attack
Heart disease kills one in six women four times as many as breast cancer doesNearly a quarter of all male deaths in the UK are due to heart disease one of the highest rates in Europe For 30% of those dying of heart disease, there were no previous symptoms A third of all people who die from heart disease are under the age of 70.

The facts
A continuous supply of blood is needed by every part of the body. Once the nutrients have been extracted from the blood, it travels back into the veins, taking with it waste matter that is filtered out by our liver and kidneys and disposed of when we go to the toilet. The blood is then pumped to the lungs where carbon dioxide (a waste product) is breathed out and a fresh supply of oxygen breathed in. Then it is back to the heart for the next trip around the body. If any part of the cardiovascular (circulation) system goes wrong, it can seriously affect your health.

Tackling heart disease and stroke

Whatever our age or sex, we all need to take care of our heart. Heart disease kills more than 120,000 people in the UK every year. In fact, it has been the leading cause of death in Northern Europe since the 1950’s. But the good news is that better treatments and healthier lifestyles have meant that deaths from heart disease have been declining over the past 20 years. Despite this downward trend, heart disease remains the single biggest killer for adults aged between 35 and 74 years old.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to the brain. Without a blood supply, brain cells can be damaged or destroyed and will not function properly.

Both heart disease and stroke are commonly referred to as cardiovascular disease. Up to 10 million people in the UK are at risk of developing this disease. We believe that by understanding your own situation, you can take the necessary steps to reduce the risk. We’re here to help you do that.

Heart problems explained

Cardiovascular disease is not one problem – it’s a common name for several conditions that can contribute to ill health and early death. You can suffer from one or more of them at the same time.

Angina
Angina, also known as ischaemic heart disease, is caused by a reduced blood supply to the heart. If some of the blood vessels that feed the heart are restricted,the heart does not receive enough oxygen.

The additional effort of a simple action such as running after a bus can cause chest pain, tightness in the neck or throat and possibly pain in your left shoulder and arm.

Heart attacks
A heart attack occurs when the blood flow in the arteries is reduced so much that part of the heart muscle dies. It is often preceded by angina-like pains.

Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is a general term for a heart beat that is too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia) or irregular (fibrillation).

Heart failure
Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped or that it is about to do so. Instead it is when the heart cannot pump blood around the body efficiently. This can cause problems around the rest of the body, resulting in a build up of fluid in the lungs and body tissue.

Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a weakness in a blood vessel wall that bulges due to the pressure of the blood. It can also be caused by damage to a blood vessel. It may go undetected until it ruptures. Aneurysms may affect people of any age and both sexes, although they are more common in men, people with high blood pressure and those over 65.

High Cholesterol
Too much cholesterol in your blood can be dangerous. It may lead to a build up of fat on the inside of your blood vessels. This is known as atherosclerosis (furring and narrowing of the arteries). Sometimes this narrowing caused by cholesterol can cause blood clots to form and suddenly block blood vessels. If this happens in the heart, it could cause a heart attack. In the brain, it could cause a stroke. This build-up often starts in early adulthood, progressively worsening as we get older.

How can I improve my health?
Change your lifestyle

Each of us is responsible for our own health and leading a good lifestyle is a great way to start. Heart disease and stroke are rarely inevitable – much of it is caused by the way we live our lives. As a result, changing your habits can reap huge benefits – even if some damage has already occurred.

You smoke
You are overweight or your waist is large
You have high blood pressure
Your cholesterol level is too high
You fail to get enough exercise
You are stressed for continuous periods.
You are at risk of heart disease and stroke if…

Did you know?
The risk of developing heart disease and stroke also increases as you get older and particularly if you have diabetes, a family history of heart disease or are of South Asian background (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka).

Stop Smoking
Smoking is an addiction that is hard to beat. It is also one of the major causes of premature death (smokers die on average 14 years prematurely).

Ask at your pharmacy about our specialist support programmes, including stop smoking clinics. One of our friendly team of professionals will be happy to give you further details.

You can also buy a full range of nicotine patches, gums, tablets and inhalators here at your pharmacy.

Remember that even if you don’t manage to give up first time, try again – it may take several attempts before finding the way that works best for you.

Tell us about it and we’ll try our best to help you stop. Together, we can help you to break the habit.

Lose weight
Being overweight is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers. However, repeatedly losing weight and putting it on again (so-called ‘’yo-yo’’ dieting) is not the answer; in fact, this can cause more problems by upsetting your metabolism.

There is an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes in people who are overweight. However, weight gain itself is not the only problem. In recent years it has become increasingly clear that body shape and distribution of fat has an impact on the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

The highest risk is seen in those people who tend to gain weight around the middle (sometimes called a beer belly or being ‘’apple shaped’’), a body shape which doctors refer to as abdominal obesity.

Reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight and shape can be a struggle but studies have shown that reducing your weight by just 5 -10% can lead to a 30% decrease in abdominal fat and a significant reduction in your chance of developing heart disease.

Talk to us for further information on sensible eating and weight management. We’ll help you devise a plan for healthy living and weight loss that you can stick to. Aim for slow and steady weight loss (no more than two pounds a week).

Are you overweight?
There are various ways of pinpointing whether you are overweight, and by how much. Two of the most reliable ways are:

1. Know your body mass index (BMI): a calculation based on height and weight: check the chart below to see whether your weight is putting your health at risk.

2. Know your waist measurement: as a rough guide – men with a waistband of 40 inches or more (102cm) and women with a measurement greater than 35 inches (89cm) may have an increased risk of heart disease.

Did you know?

Control your blood pressure
Reduce your cholesterol
Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your blood vessels. If your blood Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is a vital part pressure is too high, you can damage the blood vessels in your body of all the cells in the body. Most of the body’s and this can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease or dementia. cholesterol is produced in the liver from saturated fat.

The good news is that you can now have a blood pressure test as part of our Healthy Heart Check. Please ask a member of the pharmacy team for more information. If you have a family history of heart disease and stroke, you need to get your cholesterol levels measured regularly. If your levels are high, talk to your pharmacist about cholesterol levels in food. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a cholesterol-lowering medication. In addition, exercise and maintaining a sensible weight will also help keep cholesterol levels in check. HDL (high density lipoprotein)
1. This is protective cholesterol and is therefore commonly known as ‘’good’’ cholesterol LDL (low density lipoprotein)
2. This is more ‘harmful’ cholesterol and is therefore commonly know as ‘’bad’’ cholesterol.

There are two main types of cholesterol in the body:

Exercise regularly
Many people have an inactive lifestyle. People often have a sit-down job, followed by evenings in front of the TV. Everyone needs at least 30 minutes a day of physical exercise to keep their circulation in good working order. It doesn’t even have to be 30 consecutive minutes – three lots of 10 minutes in a day work well enough to get the heart pumping faster and increase the breathing rate.

You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to do enough exercise to keep your heart healthy. The key to success is performing a simple exercise that you enjoy on a regular basis.

For example; brisk walking is excellent exercise, costs nothing, and is easy for most people to do every day. How about going for a walk before
lunch or dinner? You could also try activities like swimming, cycling, gardening, aerobics, jogging, badminton or football.

The options are countless. If it is something you enjoy, you are more likely to make it part of your routine. However, if you haven’t exercised for a while, seek professional advice first then discuss your requirements with a member of the team and they can give you a plan that suits you.

Adults should achieve a total of at least 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity physical activity, on 5 or more days of the week.

Reduce stress
Stress is not always bad for us – we need some to keep us feeling alive, interested and excited. The hormone rush caused by our body’s adrenaline when we get ‘’stressed’’ keeps us on our toes. However, if you are stressed for long periods of time, the adrenaline in your blood keeps your blood pressure high and can also make your blood sticky and thick.

To prevent excessive stress, you need to ensure sufficient calm time to allow your body and mind to recover.

Exercise is a great ‘stress buster’
Unwind by taking a hot bath with aromatherapy oils, having a massage or using yoga or specific relaxation techniquesNature’s answer: try chamomile tea or a herbal stress relieverMake sure you plan time away from whatever makes you stressed. Less stress, for life

Diabetes and your heart
Diabetes is a disease caused by too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. As a result the blood has an excess of glucose, which the body cannot use properly. The fine blood vessels in your heart and brain are affected due to the increased glucose. This increases the risk of heart attacks. Glucose comes from starchy foods such as bread, rice and potatoes, from sugar and other sweet foods, and from the liver which stores glucose. To control the amount of glucose in our blood, our bodies use the hormone insulin which is vital in our day-today
lives. Insulin is produced by the pancreas which helps the glucose enter the cells to ’fuel’ the body. If insulin drops below normal levels, diabetes can occur.

Increased thirst•
Passing water frequently, especially at night•
Extreme tiredness•
Unexplained weight loss•
Genital itching or regular episodes of thrush•
Blurred vision.•
Common symptoms of diabetes

There are two forms of diabetes:
Insulin Dependent Type 1 and Non-Insulin Dependent Type 2.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body produces little or no insulin. This type of diabetes usually appears before the age of 40 and is treated by insulin injections, diet and regular exercise.
•
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body is resistant to the insulin produced or cannot use insulin properly. This type of diabetes usually occurs over the age of 40. It is treated by a mixture of a controlled diet, exercise and tablets that help the body use its insulin more efficiently. If you think you have any of these symptoms, why not have an informal and confidential chat with your pharmacist? We’re here to help.

A Healthy Heart Check service is available in selected pharmacies.

• Appointments are not always necessary• Customers must be 18 years old or over• This service is not suitable for pregnant women
Blood pressure measurement: A quick test to measure your blood pressure and determine what your blood pressure should be
Body Mass Index calculation: We measure your height and weight to calculate your body mass index and help you to determine what your most appropriate weight should be
Waist measurement: A quick measurement of your waist can provide a guide to your risk of heart disease
Lifestyle advice: Advice from our trained team members will provide you with simple steps on how you can improve your heart health.
This service with a trained member of our team in our private consultation area includes:
A Healthy Heart Check service is available in selected pharmacies.
Healthy Heart Check – terms and conditions:
• Appointments are not always necessary• Customers must be 18 years old or over• This service is not suitable for pregnant women
Blood pressure measurement: A quick test to measure your blood pressure and determine what your blood pressure should be
Body Mass Index calculation: We measure your height and weight to calculate your body mass index and help you to determine what your most appropriate weight should be
Waist measurement: A quick measurement of your waist can provide a guide to your risk of heart disease
Lifestyle advice: Advice from our trained team members will provide you with simple steps on how you can improve your
heart health. This service with a trained member of our team in our private consultation area includes:

How can we help?
Medicines: We have the know-how As well as changing your diet and lifestyle, you may need to take some medicines to keep your heart healthy. There are several different types of medicine available to help manage health problems such as high blood pressure, high
cholesterol and diabetes.

Your friendly pharmacist can provide professional advice and the latest information about the medication available.

In each case, the medicines chosen and the dose given will depend on your individual needs. Pharmacists are the experts on medicines; if you
have any questions about the medicines you are taking, please ask your pharmacist.