news
Stroke risk widespread
Foundation awareness campaign finds many
Australians in danger of debilitating event.
T
he Stroke Foundation has warned
that many Australians are putting
themselves at serious risk of
disability or death.
The call comes after the group
discovered more than 41 per cent of men
had been urgently referred on to their
doctor after taking part in a series of free
blood pressure checks during a stroke
awareness campaign.
Stroke Foundation chief executive
Sharon McGowan said more than 3500
men have been found to be at high risk
of stroke.
“These men, and their families, are
the lucky ones,” McGowan said. “They
have taken advantage of the free checks,
know their stroke risk and can now take
action to reduce it. Those who have been
referred on include young professionals,
family men, tradies and retirees – stroke
does not discriminate.”
McGowan added 26 per cent of women
tested had also been urgently referred on
to their doctor after discovering they were
at high risk of stroke.
“This is a battle of the sexes no one
wants to win,” she said.
Australia’s Biggest Blood Pressure
Check was a call to action by the Stroke
Foundation in partnership with Priceline
Pharmacy during April. The team
conducted a record 56,193 check-ups, with
many lives potentially saved.
In addition to the aforementioned stats,
the program also revealed an alarming 2000
cases of participants under 35 who were
deemed high risk and referred to their GP
for further consultation. This underscored
the importance of awareness campaigns.
The Stroke Foundation also stated
that blood pressure is one of the most
important and modifiable risk factors for
stroke. The group urged both men and
women to continue to take advantage of
the free checks. ■
OPTIMISE CARE TO THE
ELDERLY WITH THE 2016 AMH
AGED CARE COMPANION
2016 Aged Care Companion Book Release.
The AMH Aged Care Companion is a trusted, practical reference
for doctors, nurses and pharmacists who work with older people.
It contains the latest evidence-based information and is useful
when conducting medication reviews and other activities (eg case
conferencing) aimed at improving patient outcomes.The AMH Aged
Care Companion contains information on the management of more
than 70 conditions common in older people, including dementia
and its behavioural symptoms, delirium, cardiovascular diseases, fall
prevention, osteoporosis, COPD, insomnia, depression and wound
management. It also contains general principles on the use of
medicines in older people.
The