Workplace cardiovascular disease (CVD) checks are underway in Northumberland to inform people about their risk of a heart attack or stroke, or developing diabetes or dementia, and help reduce their risk.
Delivered by Northumberland County Council’s in-house health trainers, CVD checks will be delivered in workplaces until March 2025, as part of a Department of Health and Social Care pilot scheme.
Cardiovascular disease is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. It’s usually associated with a build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries and increased risk of blood clots. It can be associated with damage to arteries in organs including the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.
CVD checks will include checking blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), or waist circumference, and questions on health behaviour, including smoking status. In addition, for people aged 40 to 74 without existing conditions, health trainers will offer a full NHS Health Check, which includes questions about family history of CVD and a blood test for cholesterol and (if at high risk) diabetes.
More information is available by emailing: healthtrainers@northumberland.gov.uk.