Latest news with #BHF
The Independent
15 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
‘Staying hopeful is helpful': How positivity can help reduce risk of stroke
A study suggests that a positive mindset can significantly lower the risk of future health problems after a stroke or heart disease diagnosis. The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), analysed data from 12 previous studies involving 5,540 patients with conditions like coronary heart disease and stroke. Hopelessness was associated with a six-fold higher death risk from heart disease in men with pre-existing heart conditions, while higher hope in women was protective against angina. Higher hope was linked to a lower risk of post-stroke fatigue, lower depression and anxiety levels, enhanced resilience, and improved quality of life. Dr. Alexander Montasem and Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan suggest that mental health support and staying hopeful can be beneficial for people with heart problems, potentially improving treatment adherence and overall wellbeing.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
28th Armathwaite Challenge aiming to raise £100k for heart charity
A local fundraiser is looking for volunteers to join in on an epic walk for a heart charity. Plans are underway for the 28th Armathwaite Challenge which is aiming to reach a total of £100,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Over the last 27 years the Armathwaite walk has generated £80,483.55 for BHF and organiser, Geoff Fisher is hoping to reach £100,000 for the charity. The event attracts people of all ages (Image: Supplied) The 20-mile walk will set off at 8:30am Sunday, September 28 at the Border Gate Hotel carpark and walk towards Talkin Tarn. Anyone wishing to join the 20-milers can do so at the Fox and Pheasant, Armathwaite CA4 9PY where they will complete a 10-mile walk. There will be transport available to commute people back to their vehicles at the Border Gate and transport the walkers to the Fox and Pheasant Inn at Armathwaite for refreshments. Dogs are most welcome on the challenge! (Image: Supplied) Last year's Armathwaite Challenge – which was its 27th edition – helped to raise more than £7,000 for the heart foundation. Geoff Fisher said: 'Over the last 27-years with your constant help, generosity, and support of all of you, the Armathwaite walk has generated £80,483.55, together we can smash the £100K barrier if we all walk/work together to help a great charity. READ MORE: Cumbria: Crime Commissioner shares views on cannabis legalisation | News and Star 'I must mention some very special people that have helped, supported and kept me focused over these years, without these people the Armathwaite Challenge might have lost its momentum/direction years ago, a big and special thank you from me to: Mick Irving, Helen Fisher, Wendy Parry, Nicola Morgan, the four Ladies from the BHF (Hayley, Phoebe, Lucy and Margaret) and the team at Metcalfe Plant Hire.' The British Heart Foundation is one of the UK's most recognisable charities. They raise money to help work towards a world 'free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases.' Anybody wishing to donate can do so via Geoff's Just Giving page.
Eyewitness News
6 days ago
- Health
- Eyewitness News
Motsoaledi defends spending R9m on lawyers, says health dept being sued on several fronts over NHI
CAPE TOWN - Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that his department was being sued on several fronts over the National Health Insurance (NHI) and was forced to hire twelve counsel. Motsoaledi told the National Assembly that the legal team, which is made up of five senior counsel and seven junior counsel, had been paid R9 million to defend the department's universal health policy and the National Health Insurance Act. ALSO READ: • Ramaphosa eyes direct appeal to ConCourt over NHI Act challenge • BHF confident it will be able to prove the NHI Act is unconstitutional • BHF, SAPPF given green light to challenge NHI Act • BHF disappointed with Motsoaledi publishing draft regulations for NHI Act, despite several court challenges The minister was responding to questions in the House as part of the social services cluster of ministers. Minister Motsoaledi was asked by the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Michéle Clarke why he needed such a big legal team to defend the department at such a cost. "I would like to ask the minister how he justifies paying for such a huge legal team, given that hospitals can't afford food for patients and overtime for doctors?" Motsoaledi justified the cost, saying they were facing seven different litigations on two separate but related matters. "We regard this team as appropriate. The president is suing for only one case. We are sued for seven cases. And this amount of money is those that have been involved in litigation, will know how expensive senior counsel is." Motsoaledi also told MPs that medico-legal cases due to negligence were another costly burden but were mostly as a result of fraudulent claims.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Man's 'indigestion' symptoms led to a quintuple heart bypass
A nurse told Adam he was a "heart attack waiting to happen". When Adam Smith experienced what he thought were indigestion symptoms, he had no idea he was a 'heart attack waiting to happen'. The now-54 year old had been fit and well before he started experiencing chest tightness and breathlessness in late 2020. He initially put this down to indigestion, but by the following summer, he was struggling to take his dog for a walk without needing to stop and rest every few minutes. This escalated until Adam, from Todenham in Gloucestershire, realised he couldn't even push the lawnmower from one side of his garden. His wife Eve urged him to ask his GP about getting his heart checked. Tests revealed Adam's arteries were severely blocked and he needed imminent major surgery to prevent a life-threatening heart attack from occurring. Adam, who runs a construction company, said: 'It sounds ridiculous now, but at the time, I just didn't think that what was going on could be so serious. Because it was lockdown when my symptoms started, nobody was really seeing doctors face-to-face and I kept putting it all down to indigestion, even though things were getting worse and worse as the weeks went on. 'There's a small hill behind our house where I'd normally walk our dog, Walnut, but it got to the point where I could no longer manage it. At first, I just thought I was losing my fitness, but things kept getting worse. 'Eventually, I was on the phone to the GP and my wife said, 'Make sure the doctor's 100 per cent certain this isn't something to do with your heart', as there is a history of heart attacks in my family and several relatives had previously had heart bypass surgeries.' Adam was referred to the chest pain clinic at his local hospital. 'In my eyes, the nurse I saw at the clinic saved my life,' he said. 'I still get a bit emotional thinking about it. She was the one who really looked at me and saw that I was a heart attack waiting to happen, as my arteries were so blocked.' Adam had a quintuple bypass in September 2021 at the Oxford Heart Centre at John Radcliffe Hospital. He spent five days in hospital before going home to continue his recovery. Since then, he has worked hard to get his fitness back up, including taking part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride every summer, raising funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Adam said: 'Recovery was a long road. At first, all I could manage was walking a few yards. But my wife and friends were amazing, they all came and walked with me – I just walked and walked myself back to fitness. 'About six weeks after the surgery, I saw an advert for the BHF's London to Brighton Bike Ride and I thought – right, I'm going to do this. I needed something to work towards and, after everything that had happened, I knew how important the charity's work is. 'Obviously, I had to go through assessments with the cardiac rehab team, but as soon as I could go back to the gym, I did, and then I started cycling.' He completed his first London to Brighton Bike Ride in 2022, and raised around £5,000. Adam said: 'The following year, a few friends wanted to take part too, so we decided to ride together as a group, and we raised another £5000 or so as a team.' On June 15 this year, Adam is set to take on the iconic 54-mile bike ride for the fourth time. He added: 'I'll be riding with friends again this year, but unfortunately just in the last few months, one of the friends who's done it with me for the last two years has been diagnosed with the heart rhythm disorder, atrial fibrillation, and will be undergoing treatment soon. My sister also very recently underwent heart bypass surgery. 'So, this year, doing the London to Brighton Bike Ride feels particularly poignant again. My plan is to keep doing it for as long as I can.' Although Adam is now on cholesterol and blood pressure medication, he exercises as much as possible to keep his cardiovascular system healthy. 'I'm still the same person as I was before the surgery, but now I do two or three yoga classes a week, I go to Pilates and I do two weight training sessions a week,' he said. 'And of course I do my cycling. There's not really a single day where I'm not doing some form of exercise to try and stay as fit and healthy as I can. I will be on medication now for cholesterol and blood pressure possibly for the rest of my life, but I wake up every morning feeling grateful for the NHS, because I do believe they saved my life.' There are around 100,000 hospital admissions each year in the UK due to heart attacks - the equivalent of one every five minutes. To support Adam and his friend's fundraising efforts, see his Just Giving page here. Entries for BHF London to Brighton Bike Ride on June 15 are still open until May 31. To sign up or find out more, visit Symptoms The BHF lists 'stomach pain like indigestion', which is what Adam experienced, as a potential warning sign of heart disease. The charity says: 'A painful or burning feeling in your chest or stomach can be a sign of a heart attack or related heart problem. 'However, it can be hard to tell the difference between heart pain and indigestion. That's because the heart, the stomach and the gullet (the passage between your mouth and stomach) all lie right next to each other.' If you're not sure which one is causing your stomach pain, the BHF advises calling NHS 111 for advice. Other potential signs of heart disease include: Chest pain Arm, jaw or back pain Feeling sweaty Choking feeling Felling sick Swollen ankles Leg pain Extreme fatigue Palpitations. The NHS lists signs of a heart attack as chest pain, pain in other parts of the body, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, sweating, shortness of breath, feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting), an overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack), and coughing or wheezing. If you think you or someone you know is experiencing a heart attack you should call 999.
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Nose bleed sufferers told it can be sign of deadly condition
The organisation has released a warning, urging people to get checked to avoid potentially serious health problems The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is warning people who get nose bleeds that it could be a sign of fatal condition. Urging people to get their blood pressure checked, they explain that high blood pressure (hypertension) is very common. But even though it is common, it can put you at risk of "life-threatening complications like heart attack and stroke" - and knowing the signs can help prevent this. What is high blood pressure? Blood pressure is all about the pressure of blood in your arteries. Your arteries are the vessels (tubes) that carry blood from your heart to your brain and the rest of your body. Whilst we need some pressure to get our blood flowing, too much is an issue. The heart experts explain: "Your blood pressure naturally goes up and down throughout the day and night, and it's normal for it to go up while you're moving about. It's when your overall blood pressure is always high, even when you are resting, that you need to do something about it." What are the symptoms of high blood pressure? The BHF warns that hypertension has no "obvious symptoms" and "people don't know they have high blood pressure" because of this and "that's why it's so important to get your blood pressure checked regularly", they warn. Talking about some signs to look out for, they note: "Rarely, it can cause symptoms like blurred vision, headaches and nose bleeds." What are the risks of high blood pressure? "High blood pressure is a serious condition", the experts warn. Your arteries are naturally flexible, allowing them to adjust as your blood pressure rises and falls. However, when you have high blood pressure, they can lose this flexibility, becoming stiff or narrowed. They add: "This narrowing makes it easier for fatty material (atheroma) to build up. This narrowing and damage to the arteries lining your heart or brain could trigger a life-threatening heart attack or stroke." Changes in your diet and increasing activity levels will help improve your blood pressure. But if left untreated, high blood pressure can also lead to complications such as: kidney failure heart failure problems with your sight vascular dementia You might be more at risk if you: are over the age of 65 have someone in your family with high blood pressure are someone who smokes drink too much alcohol eat too much salt and not enough fruit and vegetables don't get enough exercise are overweight, especially around your mid-section. living in deprived areas people who are of black African or black Caribbean descent For some people, a cause of high blood pressure is found. This is known as 'secondary hypertension'. Examples of secondary hypertension include: kidney disease diabetes a condition called obstructive sleep apnoea, which can lead to disturbed sleep some medicines, such as oral contraceptives some over-the-counter and herbal medicines Free blood pressure check - are you eligible? If you're a healthy adult aged 40 to 74, and live in England or Wales, you'll be invited to a free NHS Health Check every 5 years, which will include a blood pressure check. You can also check your blood pressure at home. In England, a scheme called Blood Pressure @home is in place to support people with this, which you can ask your GP about. There is also a similar scheme in Scotland called the Scale-Up BP initiative. What are healthy or normal blood pressure readings? There are two categories of normal blood pressure: Normal blood pressure: Usually considered to be between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg. For over-80s, because it's normal for arteries to get stiffer as we get older, the ideal blood pressure is under 150/90 mmHg (or 145/85 mmHg at home) High-normal blood pressure: Sometimes called 'pre-hypertension', this is when you don't have an ideal blood pressure but you also don't have high blood pressure. It's usually considered to be between 120/80 mmHg and 140/90 mmHg. Being at this level might prompt you to live a healthier lifestyle so you don't develop high blood pressure
