With its mission to eliminate preventable strokes, deaths and suffering for people living with heart disease, cardiac health promotion charity hearts4heart has contributed a patient voice to health policy and has been key in awareness raising for cardiovascular disease.
Here, CEO and founder Tanya Hall shares her lived experience with heart disease and emphasises the importance of pharmacy assistants in encouraging the community to prioritise heart health and get regular heart checks.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and the process of founding hearts4heart.
I’m the CEO and founder of hearts4heart, a national health promotion charity that supports, educates and advocates for Australians and New Zealanders living with heart disease.
It was through my own experience of living with heart disease that hearts4heart was founded.
I was born with congenital heart disease and have lived with heart disease all my life. However, when I was going through a particularly difficult time, I felt incredibly isolated and wanted to connect with others going through a similar experience, and soon realised that there wasn’t anything available.
I wanted to be involved in the shared decision-making around my own health, but there was limited information that I could draw upon. I’d worked with numerous charities and knew the type of help available for those suffering from other illnesses, such as cancer. I’d asked ambulance drivers, cardiac nurses and cardiologists if there were many people like me going through a similar thing. I was shocked that given the prevalence of arrhythmias and other heart conditions, there wasn’t anything available. So, I thought, why not start something myself?
I’d originally built a website to connect like-minded people with cardiac health issues, provide peer support and share information I’d learned along the way. Once I’d built the website, and due to the need, we grew very quickly.
In the same year that hearts4heart was founded, my father died of heart failure. Had there been greater awareness and he’d had a heart check, he could still be alive today.
Having lived with heart disease all my life, I already knew there was a lack of awareness of various heart conditions such as arrhythmias and heart failure. I knew we had to approach this holistically. We needed to raise public awareness so that people could recognise the symptoms and be diagnosed early. I also wanted to be sure that we could provide education and support throughout the patient journey.
That was in 2011. Hearts4heart now facilitates national awareness weeks, provides peer support and education to patients, and is the only cardiac consumer organisation involved in health policy.
What are the mission and goals of hearts4heart?
Hearts4heart brings together patients and healthcare professionals with the shared goal to reduce the burden on heart patients. We achieve this through support, information, education, awareness events and advocacy.
Hearts4heart’s mission is to eliminate preventable strokes, deaths and suffering for people living with heart disease.
Why is it important to shine the awareness spotlight on hearts4heart?
Even though cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in Australia, there’s still little awareness or support for the many heart conditions that exist. We’re the only patient advocacy group in Australia to provide education and support for patients and embark on awareness campaigns for atrial fibrillation, heart failure and heart valve disease.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, refers to a range of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. It includes conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and valve disorders.
Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease, where plaque build-up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and even heart attacks. Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, leading to fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling in the legs and ankles.
Arrhythmias refer to irregular heartbeats, which can cause dizziness, light-headedness, or even fainting. Valve disorders involve problems with the valves that control blood flow through the heart, which can cause chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue.
Heart disease can be caused by a variety of factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. It’s a major cause of death worldwide and can be prevented or managed through lifestyle changes, medication, and in some cases, surgery.
How can people look after their heart health to prevent heart disease?
There are several ways people can look after their heart health and reduce their risk of developing heart disease. Here are some examples:
Eat a healthy diet. A diet that’s rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity can help strengthen the heart and improve circulation. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of heart disease. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise can help reduce this risk.
Don’t smoke. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. Quitting smoking or never starting in the first place can help protect the heart.
Manage stress. Chronic stress can contribute to the development of heart disease. Engaging in stress-reducing activities such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing can help manage stress.
Control blood pressure and cholesterol levels. High blood pressure and high cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease. Regular monitoring and appropriate management of these conditions through lifestyle changes and medication can help reduce the risk.
Limit alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure and contribute to the development of heart disease. Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
By following these tips, people can take proactive steps to maintain good heart health and reduce their risk of developing heart disease.
However, not all heart conditions are lifestyle-related, so it’s important to have regular heart checks.
What services does hearts4heart provide?
Support. Being diagnosed with heart disease is challenging for anyone. And, as mentioned, at hearts4heart we offer peer support and education to patients and carers affected by heart disease, and we’re there to support the patient during their journey.
At hearts4heart we:
- Provide over-the-phone support.
- Have an online community.
- Connect patients with similar/same conditions.
- Facilitate ‘Heart Buddy’ support meetings.
Education. Hearts4heart provides credible, medically approved, independent and practical educational resources that include information about the detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of heart conditions, including arrhythmias, heart valve disease and heart failure.
Awareness. A key objective of ours is to raise public symptom awareness so people are diagnosed and treated early to reduce the risk of premature death and stroke and to improve patient outcomes. Eight years ago, we began facilitating AF Awareness Week because this was the most common arrhythmia. Our message was simple: to recognise the symptoms of atrial fibrillation and to get your heart checked.
Over the years, hearts4heart has successfully facilitated free AF screening and awareness events across Australia and New Zealand at hospitals, pharmacies, GP medical centres and Australia’s Parliament House, screening thousands of people.
Through our work, there has been a huge public response and profile raising of AF. hearts4heart has been interviewed for TV national news and print media and appeared on hundreds of radio stations in addition to national and local newspapers.
We continue to facilitate AF Awareness Week each year, and last year we kicked off our first Heart Failure Awareness Week and Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week, which will also be run annually.
Advocacy. When I founded hearts4heart, clinicians approached me to highlight an issue that needed a patient voice.
Not everyone in Australia had access to the treatments that are available for those with atrial fibrillation, specifically catheter ablations. In many cases, patients were waiting up to two years in some public hospitals.
This was baffling to me given that arrhythmia conditions such as AF are a growing epidemic in Australia. I too had been that patient who’d waited more than 12 months for catheter ablation. Medications didn’t help me. I was incredibly unwell and was a regular in the emergency department.
Even though catheter ablations are recommended in international guidelines as first-line therapy in selected patients, they weren’t always accessible in private hospitals.
To address this problem, hearts4heart went to federal parliament alongside electrophysiologists to push AF up on the agenda and to address patient inequity in treatments.
Hearts4heart facilitated a number of activities to raise awareness of AF among policymakers and to highlight the issue of access. We worked with the parliamentary group ‘Friends of Heart and Stroke’ and held joint screening events for AF in parliament in collaboration with the chair of the CSANZ [Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand] Heart Rhythm Council, alongside cardiologists, cardiac nurses and local media.
After years of advocacy, catheter ablations were finally listed on the Prostheses List on 1 March 2019, which meant these were finally accessible in private hospitals.
We take the same approach when advocating for necessary changes to improve patient outcomes in health policy. The power of the patient’s voice shouldn’t be underestimated to drive heart care forward on national health agendas.
What are the symptoms of heart failure, and how prevalent is it?
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood effectively throughout the body, leading to a variety of symptoms. The symptoms of heart failure can vary from person to person and can include:
- Shortness of breath, especially during physical activity or when lying down.
- Fatigue or weakness.
- Swelling in the legs, ankles, feet or abdomen.
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat.
- Persistent cough or wheezing.
- Difficulty concentrating or confusion.
- Loss of appetite or nausea.
- Increased need to urinate at night.
Heart failure is a common condition, affecting an estimated 26 million people worldwide. In Australia, heart failure is a significant public health issue, affecting around 500,000 people, with an estimated 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year. It’s more common in older adults and people with a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors. Early diagnosis and appropriate management of heart failure can help improve symptoms and quality of life for people living with the condition.
Tell us about the ‘Heart Buddy’ meetings and their impact. We believe that peer support is essential for coping with hard times and living your best life during the good times. At hearts4heart, we provide over-the-phone support and connect patients through our monthly Heart Buddy meetings and our social media community. To our meetings, we invite guest speakers, who include cardiologists, cardiac nurses, cardiac technicians, dieticians and more.
Many patients who are newly diagnosed and have big decisions to make about their heart health often feel isolated and confused. One of the most powerful and helpful roles they play is connecting patients with one another. Given the wide range of heart diseases that exist, we’d like to set up a Buddy program whereby we can connect patients with others who have gone or are going through a similar experience. This removes that isolation, helps them feel supported and enables patients to ask questions as they come to mind. Medical professionals don’t always advise patients on what to expect prior to treatments, or the emotional aspects, so connecting with other patients is valuable on many levels.
How can retail pharmacy assistants encourage their communities to prioritise heart health?
Retail pharmacy assistants play an important role in encouraging their communities to prioritise heart health, by providing information, education and support. Here are some ways they can do this:
Provide information. Retail pharmacy assistants can provide information about heart disease, its risk factors, and how to reduce the risk of developing it. They can also provide information about healthy lifestyle habits, such as healthy eating and regular exercise.
Promote screenings. Many pharmacies offer screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and other risk factors for heart disease. Retail pharmacy assistants can encourage their customers to participate in these screenings and provide information on the importance of early detection and management of heart disease.
Offer support. Retail pharmacy assistants can offer support to customers who have been diagnosed with heart disease, by providing information on medications, lifestyle modifications, and resources for additional support.
Educate on medication adherence. Retail pharmacy assistants can help educate customers on the importance of taking medications as prescribed for managing heart disease, and the potential consequences of non-adherence.
Raise awareness. Retail pharmacy assistants can raise awareness of heart disease and the importance of heart health through educational materials, events and social media campaigns.
By providing information, education, and support, they can help their communities prioritise heart health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
How can retail pharmacy assistants help to support the work that you do?
Retail pharmacy assistants can help support the work that hearts4heart does by partnering with us, promoting our activities and providing resources to their customers. Here are some ways that they can do this:
Partner with hearts4heart. Retail pharmacy assistants can partner with hearts4heart by collaborating on health initiatives, educational events and fundraising activities. By working together, we can raise awareness of heart disease and promote the importance of heart health in the community.
Promote hearts4heart activities. Retail pharmacy assistants can promote heart charity activities such as fundraising events, education campaigns and volunteer opportunities to their customers. This can help raise awareness and encourage community involvement.
Resources. Retail pharmacy assistants can provide resources to customers interested in learning more about heart disease and heart health. This can include educational materials such as brochures, flyers and posters, as well as information on resources for support.
Support heart charity fundraising. Retail pharmacy assistants can support fundraising efforts by encouraging customers to make donations, participating in fundraising events, or hosting their own fundraising events in-store.
Volunteer. Retail pharmacy assistants can also volunteer their time and skills to support hearts4heart in their community. This can include helping with fundraising events, participating in health initiatives, or providing support to those affected by heart disease.
By partnering with hearts4heart, promoting our activities, and providing resources to their customers, retail pharmacy assistants can help support the important work that we do in promoting heart health and reducing the impact of heart disease in the community.
To learn more: hearts4heart.org.au.
This feature was originally published in the April issue of Retail Pharmacy Assistants e-magazine.
