BOPDHB Checkup February 2018 | Page 11

Caring for your heart By EBPHA Promotion & Communications Coordinator, Carl Cowley. To enter the draw you must be: • Male, Māori aged 35 - 44 years It’s Heart Awareness month and the 50th anniversary of the Heart Foundation. To mark the milestone, EBPHA is offering an incentive for those in high risk groups to have free heart checks. • Registered with an Eastern Bay General Practice; and • Have not had a Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in the last 5 years. Heart disease is New Zealand’s single biggest killer. Statistics show the rate of heart disease among Māori men is much higher compared to the rest of the population. Starting this month to 30 June 2018, those who have a free heart check (Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment) and meet the competition criteria, go into a weekly draw to win a voucher to the value of $250. The weekly winner will be contacted and announced on our facebook page. A Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment tells people about their risk of cardiovascular events, and what they can do to improve their heart health. These heart checks are free for: • Men aged 45 - 74yrs, (Māori, Pacific or Asian from 35-74 years) who have not had a heart check in the last 5 years. • Women aged 55 – 74yrs, ((Māori, Pacific or Asian from 45 – 74 years) who have not had a heart check in the last 5 years To book your free heart check, contact your Health Centre. To find out more about heart attack symptoms and what you can do to lower the risk of you having a heart attack visit www.heartfoundation.org.nz/wellbeing/managing-risk/your-risk 11