Members of the Newcastle Hospitals cardiology team took part in the Your Heart Matters campaign truck last week – where anyone over 60, whether they have symptoms or not, were able to have a free heart check-up.
The truck was located in the carpark at Byker’s Asda supermarket, where 324 people came along for a simple test, which involved a doctor listening to their heart with a stethoscope. This quick examination can spot the signs of Heart Valve Disease (HVD), which occurs when one or more of the heart’s valves fails to function. It can cause symptoms such as breathlessness and fatigue, but these issues can often be mistaken for normal signs of ageing.
“HVD is often referred to as a ‘hidden disease’ because symptoms can be mild and some patients don’t experience any symptoms at all,” explains Dr Mohammad Alkhalil – consultant cardiologist at Newcastle Hospitals. “While HVD is very serious and can be deadly, if it is detected early it can be easily treated.”
Dr Alkhalil added: “Newcastle and the North East has pockets of severe deprivation and a high proportion of pensioners living in poverty, these factors can make accessing healthcare challenging.
“But we also know that most people aren’t aware of HVD symptoms and there is often a delay in seeking medical attention across the board. However, we know that cardiology outreach – coming to patients close to their home and making heart health checks really easy to take part in – are a great way to bridge the gap of health inequality.”
A spokesperson for the charity Valve for Life added: “There is a huge disparity in the UK about who gets timely diagnosis, referral to specialist and who accesses the newest treatment for HVD, such as less invasive procedures for HVD called ‘TAVI’ which according to the Valve for Life initiative must be urgently addressed.
“At Valve for Life we are aware of significant gaps across the country where people who live in wealthier areas tend to have better healthcare infrastructure and tend to be seen quicker. However less affluent areas have longer waiting times and we see higher numbers of preventable deaths.”
You can also find out more here: Your Heart Matters in Byker! – video Dailymotion
