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Launched by Health Insurance, a new prevention campaign concerning heart failure reminds the general public of the right actions to take in the face of this pathology which is still too little known.
Health Insurance is continuing its campaign to raise awareness among the general public about heart failure. After an initial section on the warning signs of the disease (unusual shortness of breath, rapid weight gain, swelling of the feet and ankles, excessive fatigue), this time, the Cnam is addressing patients directly and discussing the good reflexes they should adopt.
Four reflexes for people suffering from heart failure
Launched in the run-up to World Heart Day on September 29, this new campaign features the testimonies of four patients, two women and two men, who each embody a good reflex, which are as follows:
- Move every day;
- Weigh yourself regularly;
- Respect your treatment and medical appointments;
- And limit salt.
This campaign is available in videos, on leaflets that general practitioners can distribute and on posters, intended for waiting rooms in medical practices.
What is heart failure?
A relatively unknown pathology, heart failure results in a partial loss of the heart’s muscular strength as well as a reduction in its normal contraction capacity. The heart muscle is no longer able to pump blood properly. Consequently, the other organs are not sufficiently oxygenated and no longer receive enough nutrients.
Symptoms often include: shortness of breath on exertion or when lying down, cough (often at night), swelling of the lower limbs, significant and rapid weight gain and increased fatigue.
If the Health Insurance is so keen to inform the general public and patients about this pathology, it is because heart failure affects 1.5 million people in France. In addition, its prevalence is expected to increase by 25% every four years.
A pathology that causes 70,000 deaths per year
Heart failure causes 70,000 deaths per year and is the leading cause of hospitalization among those over 65. According to the deputy director of the Cnam, Marguerite Cazeneuve, who spoke at a press conference, heart failure is “a very serious disease, which we could detect better if the warning signs were better identified, but with which we can live longer in good health if we adopt good behavior, this is the objective of this campaign”.