HEART disease is the number one killer of Australian women, but research suggests that as many as 500,000 women who have high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels are not aware they are at risk.
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The Heart Foundation is highlighting heart disease this month, during its Go Red for Women campaign.
About 90 per cent of Australian women have at least one risk factor for heart disease and 50 per cent of women have two or three, the foundation has said.
National chief executive of the Heart Foundation Lyn Roberts has urged people to go for a check-up. ''Having high blood pressure or cholesterol significantly increases your risk of heart disease,'' she said.
''The Heart Foundation estimates that there are half-a-million Australian women aged 30-65 who either have high blood pressure or high cholesterol but don't know it. The only way to find out if you're one of them is to get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked by a health professional as there are no obvious symptoms.''
For the Go Red for Women campaign, the Heart Foundation has launched a free six-week program to help women improve their health, called the Healthy Heart Challenge. Participants register online and select one of the following goals: being active every day, improving everyday nutrition, lowering high blood pressure and lowering high cholesterol levels.
To learn more about the program or to register, go to the goredforwomen.org.au.
