Release
New web-based resource Know Your Numbers, Treat Your Risk aims to improve health outcomes for high-risk Australians living with cardiovascular disease - GAfPA
23 May 2023 9:11 AM
- One in 10 heart attack survivors will have another heart attack within 12 months[i]
- High LDL cholesterol levels contribute to the risk of another cardiovascular event[ii]
- 500,000 Australians have LDL cholesterol levels higher than the recommended targets[iii]
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 23 May 2023 – This week, the Global Alliance for Patient Access (GAfPA), an international non-profit, launched a new educational website, Know Your Numbers, Treat Your Risk, to support Australians who have experienced a heart attack, stroke or are at risk of a cardiovascular event. The site addresses both the emotional impact and the clinical risk factors of cardiovascular disease.
The website’s resources help people understand the role of cholesterol in the body and how high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) contribute to the risk of another heart attack or stroke. An estimated 110 Australians have a heart attack each day,[iv] and the website’s resources help them learn how to reduce their risk of a subsequent event, empowering them to take an active role in managing their cardiovascular health by ‘knowing their numbers and treating their risk’.
“Empowering people who have had a heart attack to engage in their ongoing health care by working with their GP to develop a plan for their heart health has been shown to be critical to secondary prevention,” said Professor Charlotte Hespe, Head of General Practice and Primary Care Research, Sydney School of Medicine. “Know Your Numbers, Treat Your Risk uses educational resources, patient stories and interviews with experts to empower patients with the knowledge, tools and support to reduce their risk of another heart attack or stroke.”
While primary prevention is critical in the fight against cardiovascular disease, there remains inadequate resources, funding and focus dedicated to secondary prevention.1 Patients and their doctors often aim to address high cholesterol through healthy eating, lifestyle modifications and medications, but many do not achieve target LDL-C levels that meet Australian or international guidelines.3,[v]
Australian guidelines currently recommend an LDL-C target of <2 mmol/L for primary prevention and <1.8 mmol/L for secondary prevention, while more recently released international guidelines recommend target LDL-C should be <1.4 mmol/L for secondary prevention.[vi]
The site also acknowledges the impact a cardiovascular event can have on mental health, with as many as 75% of people experiencing Cardiac Blues.[vii] Patient stories and expert interviews explore these feelings, which often occur in the first few weeks or months and are a normal part of recovery.
People are encouraged to proactively work with their GP to develop a heart health care plan to address factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diet, weight, exercise and mental wellbeing.
Know Your Numbers, Treat Your Risk is an initiative developed by the Global Alliance for Patient Access in collaboration with Heart Support Australia, Hearts4heart, Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, Australian Centre for Heart Health, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, the Hobart Heart Centre and the Glebe Family Medical Practice.
To learn more about how to reduce the risk of another heart attack or stroke, visit Know Your Numbers, Treat Your Risk.
**ENDS**
[i] Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. No Second Chances: Controlling Risk in Cardiovascular Disease, 2019. Available at: https://baker.edu.au/impact/advocacy/no-second-chances (last accessed 1 May 2023).
[ii] Catapano AL. Wiklund O. Think again about cholesterol survey. Atherosclerosis Supplements. 2015;20:1-5.
[iii] Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Code Red: overturning Australia’s cholesterol complacency, 2020. Available at: https://baker.edu.au/impact/advocacy/code-red (last accessed 1 May 2023).
[iv] Australian Government. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/2021/november/every-day-110-australians-have-a-heart-attack-and (last accessed 1 May 2023).
[v] Heart Foundation of Australia. Cholesterol roadblocks and solutions, 2022. Available at: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/bundles/for-professionals/cholesterol-roadblocks-solutions-report (last accessed 1 May 2023).
[vi] Heart Foundation of Australia. Practical guide to pharmacological lipid management. Available at: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/bundles/heart-health-check-toolkit/pharmacological-lipid (last accessed 1 May 2023).
[vii] Heart Foundation of Australia. Cardiac Blues. Available at: https://www.heartresearch.com.au/cardiac-blues/ (last accessed 1 May 2023).
About us:
The Global Alliance for Patient Access (GAfPA) is an international platform for health care providers and patient advocates to inform policy dialogue about patient-centred care.
GAfPA receives funding from Amgen to support the Know Your Numbers, Treat Your Risk patient support initiative.
Contact details:
Shannon Camilleri (on behalf of GAfPA)
Phone: 0413 144 184
Email: Shannon@senateshj.com.au
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