Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, has urged the public to monitor their heart health as part of World Hypertension Day.

More than a billion people worldwide live with hypertension, which is a significant cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death.

Ms Wilson said: “Heart health is crucial for overall good health, as the heart pumps nutrient-rich blood throughout the body and supplies it with oxygen and essential compounds.

“Embracing a healthy lifestyle at any age can help prevent heart disease and lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Understanding your risk and making healthy choices to reduce the chances of getting heart disease is important.

“Eating healthy, reducing salt intake, managing blood pressure and cholesterol, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and being physically active can protect against heart disease.”

Ms Wilson added that Bermuda was one of 30 countries that adopted the standardised treatment protocol Hearts in the Americas, a flagship programme for addressing high blood pressure launched by the Pan American Health Organisation.

“Having signed on to the initiative in 2022, we created a technical working group, developed the Hypertension Clinical Pathway and conducted capacity building for the TWG using the District Health Information System,” she said

“During the next fiscal year, funding has also been made available for the Department of Health and several collaborating primary care physicians to demonstrate that the Hearts protocol can get improved results locally, and to harvest the learning before the protocol is rolled out and available to the entire health system.

“Hearts is a simple, practical, and easy-to-follow treatment protocol that can vastly improve the control of high blood pressure.”

To help monitor their heart health, members of the public can download the free Cardiovascular Risk Calculator App.

“The app is intended to be used in clinical practice, especially at the primary healthcare level,” Ms Wilson said. “However, it can also be used by anyone in the general population interested in knowing their cardiovascular risk.

“I strongly urge everyone to get tested, know your numbers, download Cardiovascular Risk Calculator App, and make healthy choices for a healthy heart.”