Bradford’s Healthy Hearts campaign - an initiative by Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group - is aimed at reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack for people in risk groups.
The campaign brings together 41 local GP practices and the wider NHS with one aim: to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. The three-year campaign targets: * Vascular disease – including patients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and peripheral arterial disease; * Atrial fibrillation (AF) – a condition which triggers abnormalities in the rhythm of the heart and vastly increases the risk of stroke; * Heart failure – a condition caused by the heart failing to pump enough blood around the body at the right pressure. It usually occurs because the heart muscle has become too weak or stiff to work properly.
The first phase of the campaign’s development aims to improve the care of people with vascular disease. Those who are being prescribed treatment to lower cholesterol levels are being prescribed a more effective statin which reduces the risk of stroke or heart attack. Clinicians are paying particular attention to ensuring optimum cholesterol and blood pressure levels for those at risk.
To ensure that the campaign has maximum effect, GPs and hospital consultants are working closely together to ensure patients get seamless treatment, whether in hospital or at home. Other areas of focus include hypertension screening and smoking cessation. A population approach is being taken to the detection of people with a high risk of developing future heart conditions. Because heart disease is the major cause of death in Bradford, the CCG is focusing on improving care for those who have, or who are at risk of developing, cardiovascular disease (CVD) as a key priority.
The objectives of the campaign are to help people live healthier and longer lives, and this can be achieved through knowing your blood pressure, knowing your blood sugar and lowering your cholesterol, as well understanding the powerful benefits of stopping smoking, having a healthy diet and physical exercise.
The first phase of the campaign targets patients who have already been diagnosed with heart conditions whilst the second phase raises awareness of heart health generally among the local population.
For more information about Bradford's Healthy Hearts contact: [email protected]