European Heart Failure Awareness Day
So the Heart Failure team at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester is showing its support for the event with an stall in the reception area of the hospital and nursing staff on hand to talk to people about heart failure and heart health in general.
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The Europe-wide initiative is designed to raise awareness of heart failure, including spotting possible symptoms, the importance of an early and accurate diagnosis and the need for optimal treatment.
Heart failure affects about 900,000 people in the UK. The condition can affect people of all ages, but it is more common in older people. In fact, more than 50% of all people with heart failure are over the age of 75. It is also associated with a number of other serious health problems, including coronary heart disease, heart attack and high blood pressure (hypertension).
Louise Clayton who is Senior Heart Failure Specialist Nurse for Leicester’s Hospitals told us : “We are supporting this awareness day as heart failure is becoming more common. There are lots of things we can do to improve heart failure but it is important to diagnose it early. If you or someone you know has unexplained shortness of breath or ankle swelling please encourage them to speak to their GP or consultant.”
To find out more about the European Heart Failure Awareness Day, please visit http://www.bsh.org.uk/resources/heart-failure-awareness/