Heart attack is a leading cause of hospitalisation and death in Australia, claiming on average 21 lives every day. An estimated 430,000 Australians have had a heart attack at some point in their lives, and every year, 57,000 Australians suffer a heart attack – that's one heart attack every 10 minutes!
This month, we mourn the death of a great Australian sportsman and national icon, Shane Warne at the young age of 52. The cricketer died of a heart attack on the 4th of March 2022. We are very saddened by this news and there is a feeling of concern and worry that fills the air, especially for many men of the same age group and maybe share a similar lifestyle to the late father-of-three. Warne had Covid-19 in August 2021, had been a lifelong smoker and found himself ‘out-of-shape’ in his later years.
Heart disease is the most common cause of death in Australian adults and further to this, men experience heart attacks twice as much as females. Deaths from heart attacks account for almost 1 in 20 adult deaths in Australia.
This is a wakeup call to all Australians, especially men, to check on your health. The heart foundation recommends that we all complete a routine heart check with our GP’s at age 45.
Source: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/
What are the warning signs?
Dizziness, light-headedness or feeling faint
This includes being unsteady on your feet or feeling like the room is spinning around you.
Nausea, indigestion, or vomiting
These can be symptoms of a heart attack and it is important not to dismiss them if you are unsure of the cause.
Shortness of breath
Alone, this may not be purely indicative of a heart attack however if this is accompanied by tightness in the chest or difficulty breathing without any direct cause, seek medical help promptly.
Sweating or a cold sweat
Sudden chills in the body that aren’t associated with the temperature.
No warning signs at all
It is possible to experience a ‘silent heart attack,’ with no symptoms at all. These may not be picked up at all until later down the track
Reduce alcohol intake
Look after your mental health
Manage high blood pressure and cholesterol
For people with diabetes, manage blood sugar levels
How do I keep my heart healthy?
Be smoke free
Do regular exercise
Eat a healthy diet (lower cholesterol)
Maintain a healthy body weight
Keeping fit and healthy with all the above tips are essential for reducing your risk of having a heart attack or developing cardiovascular disease, the biggest adult killer in Australia. If you are over 45 and have a history of heart disease, heart attacks or are worried about how your current health is, book in with your local GP for a heart check.
Many of us have put our health and especially our physical activity on the backburner over the last couple of years. If you need that extra bit of motivation or are unsure where to start with improving your physical activity and cardiovascular fitness, our Physiotherapists at Get Set Physio can assess your physical fitness, endurance, strength, and any other issues. This will be followed by a comprehensive and wholistic treatment plan to optimize your health. Our one-on-one or group based Pilates gym is utilized as a basis to start your health journey!