Wellness: Focusing on Improving Personal Health - Saxony-Anhalt Hosts State-wide Campaign for Heart Health Prevention
In the upcoming days, people from Saxony-Anhalt can discover ways to enhance their protection against heart and circulatory ailments through various events and opportunities. The "Heart Health in Saxony-Anhalt" initiative launched the fifth Heart Week from Monday to Saturday, as stated by the Ministry of Social Affairs. This campaign emphasizes the importance of sufficient physical activity, with the slogan "#HeartMatters - Move Your Feet." Nevertheless, nutrition and awareness of risk factors are also vital.
Nearly 50 events will be organized across the state, as per the Ministry of Social Affairs. These events involve medical lectures, measuring blood pressure, pulse, and blood sugar levels, and conducting fitness checks. Additionally, there will be clinics and health days at various authorities. Approximately 550 pharmacies nationwide are also participating, offering vital value measurements and disseminating informative materials. General practitioners and cardiologists will also identify existing risk factors, pre- and post-heart attack illnesses, and other heart and circulatory diseases during the Heart Week.
According to cardiologist Thomas Voigtlander, the Chairman of the German Heart Foundation, heart and circulatory diseases are predominantly influenced by factors other than genetics, such as obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, smoking, and diabetes mellitus. As many of these factors are under one's control, adopting a healthy lifestyle - involving regular exercise, a heart-friendly diet, and not smoking - is crucial in preventing high blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic ailments.
The first Heart Week occurred in Saxony-Anhalt in 2018, where it was the federal state with the greatest heart attack mortality. "We've made progress, but we must remain vigilant in our pursuit of heart health," said Health Minister Petra Grimm-Benne (SPD). Presently, Saxony-Anhalt ranks twelfth with around 65 heart attack deaths per 100,000 individuals, according to the Heart Report of the German Heart Foundation. Heart attacks are estimated to account for approximately 50,000 deaths yearly in Germany and are considered one of the leading causes of death.
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Participants in the "Heart Health in Saxony-Anhalt" initiative are encouraged to take precautions, such as attending medical lectures and getting vital measurements, to detect potential heart health risks early. The German Heart Foundation, led by Chairman Thomas Voigtlander, stresses that lifestyle choices greatly impact heart health, urging individuals to adopt healthy habits like regular exercise and a balanced diet.
