In a recent SHS (Seafarers Hospital Society) webinar, medical experts talked about the health and welfare of seafarers, and discussed ways to reduce the risk of heart disease.
In particular, Martin Fagan from the Community Heartbeat Trust explained the importance of defibrillators, and Dr Charlotte Mendes da Costa (GP) and Rich Beecroft (Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust) talked about nutritional and physical changes that can be made to improve heart health.
As explained, heart diseases are one of the UK’s leading diseases responsible for every 1 in 4 deaths. According to the WHO, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer, not only in the UK, but globally too.
The UK admits around 100,000 people to its hospitals every year due to heart attacks, which is approximately one every five minutes, and it is estimated that 7.6 million people live with a heart – or any other circulatory disease in the UK.
As Dr Charlotte Mendes da Costa (GP) explained, coronary heart disease (CHD) is caused by a narrowing of the blood vessels to the heart. This reduces the flow of blood to the heart.
Furthermore, according to Dr Mendes, if the blood supply to a large of the heart is stopped, it may cause death.
There are many factors, which are called risk factors, which increase the risk of CHD. For example, smoking, diet, weight, stress, inactivity, and alcohol.
..said Dr Mendes.
However, the good news is that death and illness from premature heart disease is largely preventable. A good diet with vegetables, fruit, exercise, and cutting down on alcohol can help.
To improve CVD risk, you must make lifestyle changes. For example, to eat a healthy balanced diet, to be more physically active, to keep to a healthy weight, to give up smoking etc.
..said Rich Beecroft.
However, according to Rich Beecroft, the food that people eat contains fat, saturates, sugars and salt. So, it is very important to be very careful about the food people eat. On the other hand, sugar can increase the risk of diabetes and salt can increase the blood pressure. Saturated fats increase the bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood.
For this reason, physically active helps to improve CVD risk. This can include 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week, two sessions of muscle strengthening exercise per week and limit to the time being sedentary, according to Rich Beecroft.
Mr. Rich Beecroft explained that quitting smoking and reducing alcohol to more than 14 units a week help seafarers’ health.
Among the factors that reduce the risk of heart disease is to keep blood pressure and diabetes risk under control by reducing food with sugar and salt.
However, when things go wrong, it’s very important to know the use of defibrillators.
..said Martin Fagan.
Concluding the discussion, it was highlighted that when things go wrong, except for the things that seafarers can do to protect themselves, it’s very important, the knowledge of defibrillators. Treatment with a life-saving shock from an Automated External Defibrillators (AED) is a key factor in increasing a person’s chance of survival in the event of a heart attack. They are compact, portable, require little maintenance, and can be stored for long periods of time.
