{"id":3069,"date":"2023-05-15T00:10:42","date_gmt":"2023-05-14T13:10:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/2023\/05\/15\/cardiovascular-disease-australia\/"},"modified":"2024-02-15T10:08:13","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T23:08:13","slug":"cardiovascular-disease-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/cardiovascular-disease-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardiovascular Disease Australia: How To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia, more than four million Australians are affected. CVD is responsible for a quarter of Australian deaths per year. Three quarters of Australians are at risk of the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, over the last 10 years, deaths due to CVD have been declining, thanks to research into risk factors, medications and interventions. The good news is that it can be delayed or prevented, and this article will outline how to reduce your risk of CVD.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is Cardiovascular Disease?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a term that includes a group of conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels leading to complications. These complications involve diseases such as;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coronary heart disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart attack<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart failure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stroke<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arrhythmias \u2013 abnormal heart beats<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aneurysm \u2013 a bulge caused by weakening of the heart muscle or artery<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Septal defect \u2013 an abnormal opening between the left and right sides of the heart<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peripheral vascular disease \u2013 a disease of the large blood vessels of the arms, legs, and feet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rheumatic heart disease \u2013 caused by rheumatic fever, and mainly affecting the heart valves and;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Congenital heart disease \u2013 defects or malformations in the heart or blood vessels that occur before birth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to prevent Cardiovascular Disease<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As CVD is Australia\u2019s leading cause of death <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartresearch.com.au\/heart-disease\/what-is-heart-disease\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart Research Australia<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it is important to know that you can take steps to reduce your risk. Below, we\u2019ve listed the steps you can take to lower your risk of developing CVD, through both lifestyle<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">interventions and medication.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Healthy Lifestyle<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthy lifestyle is crucial in preventing CVD. This includes a balanced diet and regular exercise. Making lifestyle changes can help you by reducing your risk of CVD and can also help you create positive long term habits for your overall health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These healthy habits include:<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintain a Healthy Diet<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrition is an incredibly important factor in preventing CVD. Try to eat:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A variety of healthy protein-rich foods;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthy fats and oils; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthier alternatives to salt (such as herbs and spices).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need further help, your doctor can refer you to an Accredited Practising Dietitian to help you achieve a sustainable healthy diet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit Alcohol Consumption<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you find that your alcohol consumption is excessive (i.e. more than two standard drinks per day), it is strongly recommended that you reduce how much alcohol you drink. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartfoundation.org.au\/getmedia\/a54598f9-e091-4637-b2be-aeed4244bf1e\/Reducing-risk-in-heart-disease.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart Foundation<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a non-dependent drinker, your GP can provide advice and counselling to help you abstain from alcohol; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are alcohol dependent, withdrawal will be a little more complicated. However, there are clinics and agencies that specialise in addiction and are able to help.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"content-banner -half-image\">\n    <div class=\"-text\">\n        <h2 class=\"-eyebrow-heading\"><\/h2>\n        <h3 class=\"-large-heading\">Join the free <em>Life!<\/em> program for more personalized recommendations to lead a healthier lifestyle.<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"-button\">\n            <a\n                href=\"#health-check\"\n                class=\"button\"\n            >Check your eligibility in 3 mins<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"-image\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/15-year-anniversary-scaled.jpg\"\n            alt=\"15 year anniversary\"\n        \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Engage in Physical Activity<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical activity is incredibly important in preventing a whole range of health complications, not only CVD. While it is recommended that you do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on most, if not all, days of the week; any progress towards reaching that goal is helpful. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartfoundation.org.au\/getmedia\/a54598f9-e091-4637-b2be-aeed4244bf1e\/Reducing-risk-in-heart-disease.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart Foundation<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintain a Healthy Weight<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This works along with maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise. Typically, different world regions have different metrics for a healthy waist measurement and body mass index. For example;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re of <\/span><b>European descent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, aim for a waist measurement of 94cm if you\u2019re male or 80cm if you\u2019re female, as well as a body mass index of 18.5-24.9 kg\/m\u00b2 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartfoundation.org.au\/getmedia\/a54598f9-e091-4637-b2be-aeed4244bf1e\/Reducing-risk-in-heart-disease.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart Foundation<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re of <\/span><b>Asian descent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, aim for a waist measurement of 90cm if you\u2019re male or 80cm if you\u2019re female, as well as a body mass index of 18-23 kg\/m\u00b2 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asian Diabetes Prevention Initiative<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similar to exercise, any progress towards reaching this goal is beneficial, even if you are unable to reach that exact goal weight.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stop Smoking<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for all smokers. It is difficult to stop smoking, but there are many support options available, such as;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health professionals that can offer advice and encouragement;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quitline;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicotine replacement therapy; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pharmacotherapy, which can also be coupled with behavioural and psychosocial support.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical Factors<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on your physical health, your doctor may prescribe you medication to help you reach the health targets to reduce your risk of CVD. Medication will not replace lifestyle changes such as consuming a healthy diet and participating in physical activity. Instead medication will work together with a healthy lifestyle to help reduce your risk of developing CVD.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lower Cholesterol<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On average, people with a CVD diagnosis tend to have higher levels of bad cholesterol, a.k.a. low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Too much LDL in the blood can result in the build-up of plaque in the arteries which is a waxy substance made up of deposits of fats, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin. Plaque deposits in the artery wall can obstruct blood and oxygen as it travels to the heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High cholesterol is a leading factor in the development of CVD, so your doctor may prescribe you a medication called a statin, which is a group of medicines that can help lower the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As previously mentioned, statins are not a replacement for a good diet and exercise. Instead, they should be used together to lower your cholesterol to the target level.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Achieve Balanced Blood Pressure<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As your heart pumps blood around your body, this creates pressure on the walls of your arteries. Your blood pressure goes up and down during the day; however, a consistently high blood pressure can overload your heart and arteries \u2013 increasing your risk of CVD. Hence, it is important to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of the lifestyle factors previously mentioned will contribute to lowering your blood pressure to a healthy level. Your doctor may also prescribe you medication such as blood thinners in order to help you lower your blood pressure to a safe level.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-banner -centered-quote\">\n    <h2 class=\"-eyebrow-heading\">Success stories<\/h2>\n    <blockquote cite=\"https:\/\/www.huxley.net\/bnw\/four.html\">\n        <p>\n            <svg width=\"0.65em\" height=\"0.65em\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 14\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" xml:space=\"preserve\" xmlns:serif=\"http:\/\/www.serif.com\/\" style=\"fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:2;\">\n                <path d=\"M14.631,6.929L12.156,6.929L12.156,4.949C12.156,3.857 13.044,2.969 14.136,2.969L14.384,2.969C14.795,2.969 15.126,2.638 15.126,2.227L15.126,0.742C15.126,0.331 14.795,0 14.384,0L14.136,0C11.402,0 9.187,2.215 9.187,4.949L9.187,12.373C9.187,13.192 9.852,13.857 10.672,13.857L14.631,13.857C15.451,13.857 16.116,13.192 16.116,12.373L16.116,8.413C16.116,7.594 15.451,6.929 14.631,6.929ZM5.723,6.929L3.248,6.929L3.248,4.949C3.248,3.857 4.136,2.969 5.228,2.969L5.475,2.969C5.887,2.969 6.218,2.638 6.218,2.227L6.218,0.742C6.218,0.331 5.887,0 5.475,0L5.228,0C2.493,0 0.279,2.215 0.279,4.949L0.279,12.373C0.279,13.192 0.944,13.857 1.764,13.857L5.723,13.857C6.542,13.857 7.207,13.192 7.207,12.373L7.207,8.413C7.207,7.594 6.542,6.929 5.723,6.929Z\" style=\"fill:currentColor;fill-rule:nonzero;\"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n            <span>\"I feel more confident cooking healthy meals and feel so much better eating lighter meals. When I get the chance to exercise, I sleep better at night and overall I have more energy.\"<\/span>\n            <svg width=\"0.6em\" height=\"0.6em\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 14\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" xml:space=\"preserve\" xmlns:serif=\"http:\/\/www.serif.com\/\" style=\"fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:2;\">\n                <path d=\"M1.484,6.929L3.958,6.929L3.958,8.908C3.958,10 3.071,10.888 1.979,10.888L1.731,10.888C1.32,10.888 0.989,11.219 0.989,11.63L0.989,13.115C0.989,13.527 1.32,13.857 1.731,13.857L1.979,13.857C4.713,13.857 6.928,11.643 6.928,8.908L6.928,1.485C6.928,0.665 6.263,0 5.443,0L1.484,0C0.664,0 -0.001,0.665 -0.001,1.485L-0.001,5.444C-0.001,6.264 0.664,6.929 1.484,6.929ZM10.392,6.929L12.867,6.929L12.867,8.908C12.867,10 11.979,10.888 10.887,10.888L10.64,10.888C10.228,10.888 9.897,11.219 9.897,11.63L9.897,13.115C9.897,13.527 10.228,13.857 10.64,13.857L10.887,13.857C13.621,13.857 15.836,11.643 15.836,8.908L15.836,1.485C15.836,0.665 15.171,0 14.351,0L10.392,0C9.572,0 8.907,0.665 8.907,1.485L8.907,5.444C8.907,6.264 9.572,6.929 10.392,6.929Z\" style=\"fill:currentColor;fill-rule:nonzero;\"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n        <\/p>\n        <cite>Mala, a <em><em>Life!<\/em><\/em> program participant  - <a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/success-stories\">Read more<\/a><\/cite>\n    <\/blockquote>\n    <div class=\"-button\">\n        <a\n            href=\"#health-check\"\n            class=\"button\"\n        >Take a free health assessment now<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other Medications<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other medications that your doctor may prescribe you in order to help prevent CVD, include;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Antiplatelet agents<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anticoagulants<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beta-Blockers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aldosterone Antagonists and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short Acting Nitrates, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the risk factors associated with CVD?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are various risk factors that contribute to the onset of CVD. Consult your doctor; as the sooner you address any of these potential factors, the easier it will be to prevent CVD in the long term.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smoking in any capacity (including excessive exposure to secondhand smoke)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High cholesterol<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High blood pressure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes (type 1, 2 or prediabetes)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Excessive body weight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An unhealthy diet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lack of physical exercise<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depression<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A family history of cardiovascular disease and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sex and age (men have a higher risk than women, risk levels rise the older you get).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em> <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">program help me reduce my risk of CVD?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you reduce your risk of CVD by providing you with various tools that can help you lead a healthier lifestyle, lowering your risk of CVD.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a free healthy lifestyle program that helps you improve your eating habits, increase your physical activity and manage stress. You can choose from a group course or the telephone health coaching service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our experienced health professionals will help you make small changes to your lifestyle so that you can achieve your health goals and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> program is funded by the Victorian government and managed by Diabetes Victoria. You can check your eligibility for the program <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/learn-about-life\/#am-i-eligible\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button teal\" href=\"#health-check\">Take the health check<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartfoundation.org.au\/bundles\/for-professionals\/key-stats-cardiovascular-disease\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.heartfoundation.org.au\/bundles\/for-professionals\/key-stats-cardiovascular-disease<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartfoundation.org.au\/getmedia\/a54598f9-e091-4637-b2be-aeed4244bf1e\/Reducing-risk-in-heart-disease.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.heartfoundation.org.au\/getmedia\/a54598f9-e091-4637-b2be-aeed4244bf1e\/Reducing-risk-in-heart-disease.pdf<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/heart-disease-risk-factors#cholesterol-and-cardiovascular-disease-risk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/heart-disease-risk-factors#cholesterol-and-cardiovascular-disease-risk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/heart-disease-risk-factors#blood-pressure-and-cardiovascular-disease-risk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/heart-disease-risk-factors#blood-pressure-and-cardiovascular-disease-risk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartresearch.com.au\/heart-disease\/what-is-heart-disease\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.heartresearch.com.au\/heart-disease\/what-is-heart-disease\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/heart-disease-risk-factors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/heart-disease-risk-factors<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Reviewers<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/elleni-kaias\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elleni Kaias<\/a>, Accredited Practicing Dietitian | Primary Care Engagement Lead<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kristie-cocotis-587282124\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kristie Cocotis<\/a>, Head of Prevention and Health Promotion<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sarah-dub%C3%A9-57861660\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sarah <\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW248055663 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-AU\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW248055663 BCX0\">Dub\u00e9, Strategy and Engagement Lead<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/au.linkedin.com\/in\/ria-cheripuram\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ria Cheripuram<\/a>, Digital Communications Officer<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/au.linkedin.com\/in\/tegankohlman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tegan Kohlman<\/a>, Communications and Social Marketing Officer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia, more than four million Australians are affected. CVD is responsible for a quarter of Australian deaths per year. Three quarters of Australians are at risk of the disease. However, over the last 10 years, deaths due to CVD have been declining, thanks to research into risk factors, medications and interventions. The&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3070,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3069"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3643,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3069\/revisions\/3643"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}