The June instalment of MQ Health’s Wellness Series was all about healthy hearts, with three Macquarie experts providing guidance and advice on the prevention of cardiovascular disease: 

• Associate Professor Sanjyot Vagholkar (GP, Deputy Director Primary Care, and Course Convenor Macquarie MD Program)
• Dr Fiona Foo (Cardiologist)
• Hannah Rutherford (Senior Physiotherapist and Clinical Educator).

Here are 15 interesting facts we learned:

#1

Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in Australia (killing one person every 13 minutes) but death rates have fallen significantly in the last 50 years thanks to better prevention and treatment.

#2

There are two types of risk factor – things you can’t control (including your age, gender, ethnicity and family history) and things you can (like lifestyle factors like smoking, and sedentary jobs)

#3

We now know that depression and low mood can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, so looking after your mental health is important.

#4

Its important to look at risk factors in combination – many GPs now use tools similar to the Australian absolute cardiovascular disease risk calculator to determine if treatment is actually necessary. You can also try the Heart Foundation’s heart age calculator to better understand your risks.

#5

Chest pain is not the only symptom of heart attack – other symptoms can include nausea and vomiting; jaw, neck and back pain; and indigestion. Women tend to experience more atypical symptoms such as fainting or extreme fatigue.

#6

Women also have specific risk factors for cardiovascular disease, many of which relate to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preeclampsia or eclampsia, gestational diabetes and miscarriage. Women who have more than five children are also more at risk.

#7

Relatively common inflammatory disorders like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis (which disproportionally affects women more than men) can also increase risk.

#8

Cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy can increase risk of heart failure (especially when treating breast cancer on the left side). This relationship has led to a new sub-speciality of medicine called cardio-oncology.

#9

If you have any significant risk factors, you should be having regular heart health checks with your GP to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

#10

The Mediterranean diet is among the best diets for a healthy heart. A plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 40 per cent.

Read MQ Health dietician Juliana Chen’s tips for developing better eating habits in The Lighthouse >>

#11

You should be aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week, plus 2 sessions of muscle strengthening activity.

#12

But any exercise is good – five minutes a day is better than none. Some of the biggest decreases in cardiovascular disease risk are seen in people that go from zero activity to at least a little.

#13

Avoid long periods of sitting – try to stand up at least every 30 minutes. Even people who do regular exercise are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease if they are sitting for long periods during the day.

#14

Only 17 per cent of Australian adults were doing the recommended amount of physical activity and muscle strengthening in 2017-18.

#15

Instead of rewarding good behaviour in children with device or screen time, reward it with active family time.

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Watch the presentation:

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If you need help or advice in achieving cardiovascular health, a healthier diet or a more active lifestyle, there are a number of on-campus MQ Health clinics that can help:

• MQ Health General Practice (if you don’t already have a regular GP)
• Cardiology Clinic
• Healthy Weight Clinic
• Exercise physiology
• Nutrition / Dietetics
• Physiotherapy