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Heart health doctor tells public to know their numbers at NHS event
On Wednesday, 19 July, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust held a public health event on heart health at Sudbury AFC.
Dr Pegah Salahshouri, the lead cardiology consultant for the Trust, gave a talk to members of the public about the importance of looking after your heart and how everyone can take positive steps to look after their heart health.
Dr Salahshouri commented: “Everyone can take steps to look after their heart health – no matter how old they are. The key message I want to tell the public is to “know your numbers”. What I mean by this is everyone should know several important numbers which will help you look after your heart.
“Firstly, get your blood pressure regularly checked by your GP. High blood pressure (hypertension) is known as a silent killer, so take steps to lower it, such as losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and limiting alcohol.
“Secondly, know your cholesterol level. High cholesterol can lead to heart disease which can kill, so keeping it in a healthy range is vitally important. Cutting down on fatty foods and eating more wholegrains, fruit and vegetables can help to reduce your cholesterol.
“Weight and exercise are also hugely important, so try to keep your weight within a healthy range for your height and aim to walk at least 10,000 steps every day. Small differences can add up to make a huge difference, so just changing a few little things every day can help cut your risk of heart disease.”
As well as the talk on heart health, there was an opportunity for the public to ask questions to Dr Salahshouri and to have their own health checked. The checks on offer included blood pressure monitoring and a test for a heart condition called atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation causes your heart to beat irregularly and fast, and if left untreated can lead to blood clots and strokes.
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