Have a heart in Medway

With Valentine's Day approaching, it's time to think about your heart.

NHS Medway Commissioning Group (CCG) is encouraging people to consider their lifestyles during February's Healthy Heart Month. Making simple changes to diet and exercise can reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease. In Medway there are 7,500 people diagnosed with the disease,  but it's thought to affect many more.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is usually caused by a build-up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries that surround the heart. This can make coronary arteries narrower and restrict the flow of blood to the heart which increases the risk of heart attack. People are at higher risk if they: 

• Smoke

• Have high blood pressure (hypertension)

• Have a high blood cholesterol level

• Do not take regular exercise

• Have diabetes.

Other risk factors include being obese or overweight and having a family history of CHD. This risk is increased if someone has a male relative with CHD under the age of 55 or a female relative under the age of 65.

People from an African Caribbean background have a higher risk of high blood pressure than all other ethnic groups in the UK. Coronary heart disease rates are at their highest in South Asian communities.

The CCG's clinical lead for long-term conditions, Dr Chris Markwick, said: "We're urging everyone to think about their lifestyle and their heart in February.

"Are there things you can change to help you have a healthier heart? Can you quit smoking, lose weight, or be more active? How about trimming the fat from meat or grilling instead of frying? If so, there's no better time to do it than now."

Things you can do to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels include:

• Eating a balanced and healthy diet – and going easy on salt

• Avoiding eating too much food that contains saturated fat, such as cakes and biscuits, cream and hard cheese

• Being more physically active

• Keeping to a healthy weight

• Quitting smoking

• Reducing alcohol consumption and sticking to recommended guidelines

• Keeping blood pressure under control

• Cutting down on sugar – too much sugar in the diet can increase the chances of diabetes which will, in turn, increase the chances of developing CHD.

Healthy Heart Month runs from 1 to 28 February. For more information about heart disease, visit the NHS Choices website www.nhs.uk or the British Heart Foundation website www.bhf.org.uk.

If you're concerned about your heart, visit your GP.