With Heart Health Awareness Month finishing on February 28, Blooms The Chemist is urging Central Coast residents to be on the alert for possible symptoms of heart disease.
Heart Research Australia has found that deaths from heart disease are two times as high in Australian women than breast cancer, with many episodes occurring without prior warning and symptoms often to those experienced by men.
While men experience well-known symptoms such as chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath or nausea, women may experience additional symptoms that can be dismissed as something less sinister, like back, neck or jaw pain, dizziness, fatigue, light headedness and sweating.
A survey conducted by the Heart Foundation Heart Watch found that despite over one third of Australian adults living with high blood pressure, just five per cent of adults nominate that as a key risk factor for heart disease.
While blood pressure may not have any obvious symptoms, it forces the heart to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body and Coasties are being urged to visit their local pharmacy for regular blood pressure checks.
Luke Owen of Blooms The Chemist at Erina Fair said the pharmacy was getting behind the push for more BP tests.
“Some patients can get anxious about a visit to the doctor and often a pharmacy visit is more comfortable for them,” Owen said.
“Our doctors on the Central Coast are challenged by time constraints and a lot of our customers come in for a BP check on a doctor’s referral, often from GPs who require more regular BP checks for their patients.
“We also have a booking system for customers to arrange a BP test on their own.
“We usually do a string of readings over a number of days – the test is quick and easy and all our team members are trained in the simple, non-invasive procedure.
“We get our customers to sit quietly for a few minutes prior to each test so they have a relaxed heart rate and the results are recorded digitally.”
Owen said while sometimes results are forwarded direct to GPs, it was important for patients to be aware of their BP levels and what they mean so they can take that information to their doctor.
“High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and we particularly encourage regular testing for people with other risk factors such as smoking, being overweight and/or inactive and those who have a diet high in saturated fats or salts,” he said.
“Family history can also be taken into account.”
Owen first started working at Erina in 2017, before the COVID pandemic saw him help Blooms The Chemist nationally for two years prior to his return to Erina last May.
Blooms The Chemist can also make recommendations for lifestyle changes that may support a better blood pressure reading.
Every day, 110 Australians have a heart attack, making it the leading cause of hospitalisation, claiming the lives of 19 people, on average, every day.
To find out more about where blood pressure checks are available see the Blooms The Chemist website.
Terry Collins