Cardiovascular diseases were the most common cause of death in Bavaria in 2020 with about 50,000 individuals. Bavaria's Minister of Health Klaus Holetschek launched the "Hand on the heart" campaign for heart attack prevention in Munich on March 21 to inform people about the risk factors and promote prevention.
To launch the campaign, the Ministry of Health had blocked the left passageway of Munich's Karlstor with an oversized, five-meter "blood clot" at the kick-off event. This illustration was intended to make clear how a blood clot can block the supply of blood to the heart muscle and thus cause a heart attack.
At the event, Bavaria's Minister of Health Klaus Holetschek emphasized: "Even if other topics are currently the focus of interest, we must not neglect the topic of preventive health care and prevention. Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in Bavaria, with around 50,000 deaths in 2020. We want to draw attention to this with the campaign launched today."
With education and prevention against a heart attack
The aim of the "Hand on the heart" campaign is to educate people about the risk factors for a heart attack and how to avoid them. In addition, citizens are informed about the signs by which a heart attack can be recognized - in order to be able to react quickly and correctly in an emergency. The minister explained: "Unfortunately, it often takes too long before the emergency services are called. Yet every minute counts in the event of a heart attack."
Holetschek added: "In 2020, around 6,500 people died in Bavaria from a heart attack alone. That's why it's important to me to wake people up and raise awareness with this campaign."
The main risk factors for a heart attack are smoking, lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, alcohol and psychosocial stress. Holetschek therefore warned people to be often too careless with their bodies and encouraged them to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease with a healthy lifestyle, such as exercise.
Specially developed brochures and the campaign homepage contain valuable information, practical tips and video spots on heart attack risk factors, a calendar of events, helpful links and a heart attack risk calculator.
HerzFit app to be launched at the end of April
Holetschek also considers the HerzFit app to be particularly interesting. The DigiMed Bayern project, which is funded by the Ministry of Health, has developed this together with the German Heart Foundation and the Deutsche Hochdruckliga. The app is based on the user's preferences and goals. This results in a personal program for healthy eating, exercise or stress reduction. The app is expected to be available in the app stores from the end of April."
In addition, a specialist day with multipliers will be held on April 28, 2022, at which the report "Heart attacks in Bavaria" will be presented, which will contain the latest data and findings on heart attacks in the Bavarian healthcare system, risk factors and outpatient as well as inpatient care.
The "Hand on the Heart" campaign is part of this year's focus on "Prevention of Heart Attacks" as part of the Bavarian Prevention Plan and will run until the end of September. The Bavarian Prevention Plan was launched in 2015 with the aim of supporting citizens in making healthy lifestyle choices, shaping healthy living environments and promoting equal health opportunities.
For more information visit www.handaufsherz.bayern