Are you in the red?

Wearing red is just one of the ways you can help to support the British Heart Foundation’s National Heart Month. They need your help to continue their research into the range of heart conditions that around 3.4 million adults in Britain are currently living with. You can wear red to work, school or college, or at home on Friday 26th February and join thousands of others involved in the Red for Heart campaign.

Your heart beats around 100,000 times every day. It pumps about 23,000 litres of blood around your body. But what happens when it doesn't work as well as it should? During National Heart Month, NHS Careers is highlighting the NHS staff who help those with heart conditions.

Geoff is 71. He first noticed a tightening in his chest after chasing his two young grandsons round the park, which felt better after he sat down for a rest. He mentioned it to Jean, his wife, who suggested he should make an appointment with his GP. At his local surgery, Geoff was examined and assessed by Dr Pritchard. She asked him about his medical history and his symptoms. The practice nurse took some blood for a cholesterol test, which was analysed in the lab by a healthcare scientist. Geoff was also booked for a routine ECG with a cardiographer, and referred to a cardiologist.

At his out patient appointment, the cardiologist looked at the results of Geoff’s ECG and examined him. He sent Geoff for another ECG, this time measuring his heart function at rest and during exercise. This showed some changes during the periods of exertion, so he decided book an appointment for Geoff to have an angiogram- to find out where and how severe any narrowed areas of the coronary arteries are.

Geoff was a little worried about his angiogram, but the anesthetist reassured him that the local anesthetic would be used. The procedure showed that Geoff’s arteries had narrowed, and so the cardiologist fitted a stent to hold open the artery and increase the blood flow. After spending the night in hospital and eating a healthy breakfast provided by the catering team, Geoff was able to go home.

Two weeks after his hospital visit, Geoff saw the cardiologist for a follow up appointment, who prescribed some anti platelet medicine to help reduce the risk of blood clots forming round the stent. Geoff decided that this might be a good time to give up smoking, so his doctor arranged an appointment with the smoking cessation adviser. He also visits his doctor regularly to review his blood pressure and cholesterol, and spent some time with a dietician to help keep his weight under control. All this means that Geoff still enjoys having a kick around in the park.

Heart stats

• Every year, heart and circulatory disease claims around 200,000 lives
• Around 4,600 babies are born with congenital heart disease each year in the UK
• Every six minutes someone dies of a heart attack in the UK