National Heart Month is observed annually in the UK during the month of February. The aim is to raise awareness about heart disease and how to look after the heart. 2021 may look different, but the message remains the same.

In fact, heart health is now more important than ever. There has been an increased number of heart-related fatalities since the start of the pandemic. Between March and November 2020 alone, 5,000 more people died from heart problems in England than what would usually be expected.

 

 

National Heart Month - Previous Years

In previous years, the defibshop team have partnered with the North West Ambulance Service at intu Trafford Centre to mark the start of National Heart Month and share life-saving skills with members of the public.

 

In 2019, together with NWAS, we successfully trained 815 people in effective CPR and defibrillation after spending 12 hours at the Trafford Centre and Merry Hill.

The defibshop team also got involved in various fundraising activities within the office to help raise money to place more defibrillators in schools as part of our continuous fight against Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).

Effective CPR, performed on a ratio of 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths and a life-saving shock to the heart from a defibrillator is the only definitive treatment for SCA.

 

 

Heart Health

There are many lifestyle factors that contribute to your heart and overall health. Making small changes to your daily routine can make a big difference to your heart health.

  • Diet - Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is essential for a healthy heart.
  • Exercise - Any amount of exercise is beneficial to the heart but two and a half hours of moderate exercise every week is recommended to keep your heart healthy.
  • Quit smoking - After being smoke-free for 12 months, your chance of suffering a heart attack would’ve halved.
  • Reduce alcohol intake - Heavy drinking can lead to a weaker heart muscle, preventing it from pumping blood around the body effectively.

 

 

Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved in National Heart Month, exploring the #NHM hashtag on Social Media will keep you up to date with the resources shared across the country during February.

We hoped to be able to hold our usual events at the Trafford Centre this year in partnership with NWAS to train even more people in CPR.

Sadly, this is not possible whilst adhering to government guidelines due to the nature of the event and with the high volume of people this involves within such close proximity.

We will instead be sharing our knowledge online, so make sure you are following the National Heart Month hashtag.

defibshop are committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.