Make sure you have a healthy heart!

A new campaign is launching this month to help improve heart health in Blackburn with Darwen.

The Healthy Hearts campaign is launching this September and is run by Blackburn with Darwen Council, BwD Public Health and the NHS. It will aim to raise awareness of everyone’s heart health in the borough, especially among people considered to be most at risk, and reduce the rates of heart disease and heart attacks leading to people dying prematurely from heart disease or other circulatory diseases.

It’s never too late to improve the health of your heart. Even in mid-life or for older ages, there are huge benefits to taking some healthier steps – stopping smoking, doing more exercise, cutting down on alcohol and eating more healthily.

Cardiovascular disease includes all the diseases of the heart and circulation, including

• coronary heart disease
• angina
• heart attack
• congenital heart disease
• stroke

It’s also known as heart and circulatory disease.

3.5% of people in Blackburn and Darwen had coronary heart disease in Blackburn with Darwen in 2021, with some GP practices have nearly 5% of their patients with CHD and just under 1% had heart failure.

As part of the Healthy Hearts campaign, there will be a wide range of activities taking place across the borough through the Autumn and winter, to help spread the word about healthier hearts and to boost the overall heart health of people in the borough.

These will include:

• NHS Health checks service for people aged between 40-74 run with the Council’s Wellbeing Service. More information and how to have a health check.
• Stopping smoking advice and referral to stop smoking services linked with the Stoptober campaign in October
• Visits from the NHS Harri Bus for health checks and advice across the borough in November including at the home games of Blackburn Hawks at the ice arena on November 12 and November 26.

There will also be promotion of defibrillators in the borough – The Circuit is a website that houses all the defibrillators across the country, if registered, which the Ambulance Service and BHF run and are currently updating with the latest information.

Also – keep an eye out at the borough’s burger vans and sandwich vans, as we’ve got special Healthy Heart napkins with a QR code where you can book your health check through the NHS.

Abdul Razaq, Blackburn with Darwen’s Director of Public Health, said:

Heart disease  has a huge negative impact on people’s ability to lead a healthy and productive life, however there are steps you can take to improve your heart health no matter what your age.

Keeping active, stopping smoking and cutting down on alcohol and healthier eating are all small changes and steps you can take and can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Having a health check and a blood pressure check is fast and convenient and can help to identify any modifications to lifestyle and access to treatments to keep you well. It is vital that everyone is aware of their blood pressure and knowing your numbers.”

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Public Health, Prevention and Wellbeing, said:

There are so many convenient checks on offer during this campaign, such as going along to one of the health checks or having your blood pressure checked, that can really help you build a healthier lifestyle and a healthier future.

I would encourage residents of all ages to take advantage of the free checks, support and activities that are going to be available to help everyone live a healthier lifestyle –  and help us build a healthier borough for everyone.”

Find out more about the health checks and the Council’s Wellbeing Service and Re:fresh.