Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. It is the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for 34% of all deaths in Australia in 2006. Cardiovascular disease kills one Australian nearly every 10 minutes. Cardiovascular disease is one of Australias largest health problems. Despite improvements over the last few decades, it remains one of the biggest burdens on our economy.
Cardiovascular disease:
Is heart, stroke and blood vessel disease
Kills one Australian nearly every 10 minutes
Affects more than 3.5 million Australians
Prevents 1.4 million people from living a full life because of disability caused by the disease
Affects one in five Australians, and affects two out of three families
claimed the lives of almost 46,000 Australians (34% of all deaths) in 2006 - deaths that are largely preventable.
Statistics from the Heart Foundation 09
Skin Patrol has developed a program that aims to identify and minimise the risk of CVD via the Heart Patrol program. The Heart Patrol program consists of an on site medical consultation consisting of the following tests:
Hospital grade Electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements
Total Cholesterol
Blood sugar
Blood pressure
Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements
On the spot consultation with a general practitioner that has an interest and experience in cardiovascular health
This will be followed by patient reporting and high risk patient follow up for management/care/treatment
The Heart Patrol program to date has been a very powerful tool to engage and encourage employees to monitor and manage their health. Our recent results showed that about 5% of individuals out of group 150 patients required immediate medical attention and further testing to avoid the incidence of cardiac event. These on site discoveries if not made via the Heart Patrol clinic could have proven dire for these patients, as many did not consider going for a heart check up previously, CVD is a silent killer and can strike at anytime.
If you have a family history of heart disease, are overweight, have diabetes, a hitory of high blood pressure or high blood sugar the Heart Check clinic can help you minimise your risks.
As with all of our programs it's a great experience in the convenience and familiarity of your workplace.