Shining a light on heart disease: How to keep your heart healthy

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is a big deal in Australia—it's a term that includes various heart, stroke, and blood vessel conditions. The most common types include coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, (and there are some real tongue twisters in the mix like) cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, and peripheral arterial disease. Yep, big fancy words.

But let's talk about the big cheese, the one that takes the crown: coronary heart disease. This rascal is responsible for heart attacks, and it happens when the blood supply to your heart gets blocked or interrupted. It messes with the whole circulation process - you know, when your heart pumps blood to your lungs for a hit of oxygen and then sends it out to your organs.

In 2020-21, a whopping 27% of heart disease hospital admissions was because of coronary heart disease. Crikey!

Coronary heart disease led to more than 2,000 excess deaths and almost 14,000 total deaths in Australia in 2022

Source: COVID-19 Mortality Working Group: Almost 20,000 excess deaths for 2022 in Australia. The Actuaries Institute, 6 March 2022

Spotting the warning signs

Heart disease can be sneaky, but there are some red flags to watch out for. Symptoms often include chest pain, shortness of breath, and feeling lightheaded or queasy. Now, here's the thing. Sometimes, in the early stages of heart disease, you won't feel a thing. Sneaky buggers, like I said.

Doctors employ several tests to detect heart disease, such as echocardiograms (ECGs), coronary angiography, blood tests, and exercise stress tests. They even check out your family history and lifestyle to make the call.

Now, as you get older—and let's face it, we all do—it's a good idea to get a regular check-up for heart disease. They'll have a good old squiz at your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and weight.

Coronary heart disease was the leading cause of death in Australia in 2021

Source: Causes of Death, Australia. Australian Bureau of Statistics, April 2023

How much does a heart attack cost?

If you need a coronary angiography with a stent insertion (which is fancy medical talk for fixing your blocked arteries), you're looking at about $21,790 including the hospital stay, with Medicare coming in at around $1,960.

In 2017, Australia was cranking out 61 of these stent operations every single day. That's a grand total of 22,383 operations for the year, for which Medicare paid an estimated $8.22 million.

Over 128,000 cardiac angiograms are performed in Australia every year. The cost of an angiogram is roughly $13,247.

*These costs don't necessarily show what a patient have to pay out of pocket.

Factors that influence your risk

So, turns out heart disease tends to hit men, socially disadvantaged individuals, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people harder. And hey, if you're over 45, a smoker, or dealing with conditions like diabetes, your chances of heart disease might be higher.

Carrying excess weight or being obese also increases your chances of developing heart disease. Apparently, those extra pounds like to crank up your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which are like early warning signs of heart disease.

Now, the good news! You have some control in all of this. Your lifestyle choices can make a big difference in how likely you are to get heart disease. Just by eating healthy and getting your butt off the couch, you can prevent most of the risk factors. And get this, even if you just stuff your face with five or more servings of veggies every day, you can cut your heart disease risk by a whopping 17%.

Protect yourself from heart disease

Once you hit 45, do yourself a favour and book in for regular check-ups. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked while you're at it.

Living a healthy lifestyle is key here. That means being a legend and chowing down on fruits and veggies like there's no tomorrow. And don't forget to get your booty moving with some regular exercise.

Now, I hate to be a party pooper, but if you're a smoker or enjoy a cheeky drink, it might be time to reconsider. Cutting back or giving them up altogether is going to do wonders for your heart.

Stress can be a real bugger. It messes with your blood pressure and puts you at a higher risk for heart disease. So, find your zen, whether it's yoga, singing in the shower, or petting your fluffy furry baby. Just do whatever calms your bloody nerves.

Now, let's talk insurance, my friend. Once you know your risk based on all these factors, it's worth thinking about life insurance. After all, you gotta protect what you hold most dear, right?

Follow these tips, keep your heart happy, and you'll be right as rain. Cheers!