HeartAware

Cardiovascular disease is the biggest cause of death in Australia and New Zealand, with one person dying from it every 10 minutes. That’s over 50,000 people per year dying from heart attacks, strokes and blood clots.

Cardiovascular disease is the accumulation of fat in the arteries. This fat can cause blood clots to form and, if large enough, can completely block a blood vessel. When a clot blocks a blood vessel that is feeding the heart, part of the heart will die. This is called a heart attack. If a clot blocks a blood vessel connected to the brain, part of the brain will die, and this is called a stroke

Most people know that high cholesterol and blood pressure contribute to your risk of a heart attack. Knowing your cholesterol level and blood pressure is an important step in reducing your risk. However, 50% of people who have heart attacks don’t have high cholesterol or high blood pressure. There are other important factors that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. You may have risk factors which haven’t been measured by your doctor. For example, you may be under stress, not doing enough exercise, have poor immune function or be eating too much sugar. These are just a few of the many factors that may cause cardiovascular disease.

To reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease you need to know what may be putting you in danger and what you can do about it. This application will help identify your risk of cardiovascular disease and allow you to decide on the most appropriate dietary changes, lifestyle changes or supplements to help you maintain a healthy heart and blood vessels.