Free heart checks for Waterford farmers next week
The Irish Heart Foundation's Mobile Health Unit will be parked at Dungarvan Mart on Monday (October 5) as part of the national stroke and heart charity’s ‘Farmers Have Hearts’ programme.
Waterford farmers will be able to avail of free heart health checks next week when the Irish Heart Foundation's Mobile Health Unit visits Dungarvan.
The unit will be stationed at Dungarvan Mart from 10am to 5pm on Monday, October 5, as part of the charity's Farmers Have Hearts programme.
Farmers and others working in the agricultural sector can receive a free 30-minute health check, including assessments of their cholesterol, glucose levels, blood pressure, pulse, weight and height.
The initiative aims to identify potential cardiovascular health problems at an early stage, particularly high blood pressure, or hypertension, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Nurses will also provide advice on lifestyle changes and maintaining good heart health.
The checks can help identify atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, which can increase the risk of serious health problems.
Farmers who attend will be encouraged to agree to a follow-up phone call from the Irish Heart Foundation's nurse support line, giving them an opportunity to discuss their results and any steps they may need to take afterwards.
The Farmers Have Hearts programme is supported through the Department of Agriculture's Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing funding and provides cardiovascular health checks and follow-up support to people working in the farming sector.
The programme initially began as a local pilot in 2007 before being further developed in 2013.
Outside of the farming initiative, the Irish Heart Foundation's Mobile Health Unit provides up to 10,000 free blood pressure checks to members of the public each year, with the aim of identifying people who may have high blood pressure without knowing it.
