The heart is the most important organ in the human body. Your heart keeps you alive by beating 24/7. That equates to about 100,000 beats each and every day. Our hearts do so much for us on a daily basis, but few of us stop to consider how we can do something for our heart.

Dr Robert Kelly is a consultant Cardiologist at the Beacon Hospital in Dublin. We asked him how you can keep your heart in tip top condition.

Why is a healthy heart so important?

“A healthy heart is so important because it is a singe organ and if you damage it or its blood vessels or its electrical circuits, you run the risk of dropping dead and possibly at a young age (13 per cent of premature deaths in Ireland are due to heart attacks). You also run the risk of having a heart attack or even a stroke. Heart damage and strokes can lead to a life of chronic disability [such as being] unable to work and do things for yourself.”

Do you think more awareness needs to be raised about our heart health?

“I have been a Cardiologist in practice for over 10 years. It is alarming to see the amount of people who do not take care of their health and heart health. Universally over 60 per cent of people who get chest pain do not seek medical advice. It is also alarming that a treatable and potentially curable condition with risk for sudden death does not encourage people to get checked out.”

What are some of the complications associated with not minding our heart health?

“Death, disability from chronic ill health, repeat hospitalisation, poor quality of life, potentially unable to work or travel or do activities with children or grandchildren. Over 30,000 people are presently living in Ireland with these effects following a stroke.”

Are there any regular heart health checks that we should be getting?

“If you have a family history of heart disease or strokes or you have cholesterol, blood pressure, smoke, are overweight, inactive or have diabetes, do something about it. Talk with your doctor. If you are experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath on activity, heart palpitations, dizziness or blackouts, blurred vision, then go see your doctor or Cardiologist.

“Consider a Cardiac CT Angiogram to look at heart arteries non-invasively and see if you have plaque build up that can lead to a heart attack.

“Get your heart rhythm and function checked out to see if you are at risk for a stroke. Whether you are male or female does not matter. In fact, women should encourage their spouses and siblings to get checked out as well as themselves.

“It is never too early to get a heart check done in life. When you reach 40 years of age, you shouldn’t have to think twice. If you prevent heart disease and strokes you will live long and have a good quality of life. If you do not look after yourself then you are more likely to drop dead of a heart attack or suffer a stroke.”

Dr Kelly’s top tips for heart health

1. Lifestyle – “Stop smoking now. Get plenty of sleep. Deal with stress – 10 minutes of mindfulness every day is a great help for this.”

2. Exercise – “Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes per day, walk 10,000 steps or do some light resistance work one hour per week. Be aware that exercise is the best pill for a longer life.”

3. Healthy eating – “Healthy eating means eating smaller portions, less fat and carbohydrates, specifically white bread, sugar, butter and avoid too much salt. Eat lots of vegetables and two portions of fruit each day. Drink lots of water.  Many of my patients have problems with eating too much and being overweight in particular. In our Healthy Living program, we have achieved sustained weight loss for over 95 per cent of clients, with significant improvement in blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. That leads to much better heart health and in several patients, allows the need for tablets to be reduced and, in some cases, stopped.”

4. Alcohol – “The recommended intake is 12-14 per week. Remember wine, beer and mixers are also full of sugar.”

5. Get checked – “Have a heart health check after 40 years of age and every five years after (or sooner if you have problems). Check your weight, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Measure your numbers and achieve targets of cholesterol below five, a normal weight [and] a blood pressure of 130/80 or less. Set yourself goals and ways to achieve these targets. Follow them and keep measuring.

Remember adapting the attitude of ‘it will never happen to me’ compared with an anility to define and control your own health and length of life by following these five tips makes no sense. Get your heart checked out and give yourself the opportunity to live a long life, have your health, be able to travel and enjoy life growing older with your family and friends.”

Dr Kelly has set up a health and wellness arm to his practice. For more information log on to www.rkcardiology.ie