High blood pressure: the ticking time bomb of heart health

Media release: 18 September 2024

A heartfelt reminder to get your Medicare Heart Health Check

Heart disease survivor Nathan Krepp is calling on others to get a Medicare Heart Health Check to avoid a traumatic experience with heart disease.

Nathan, from Western Australia, shares his powerful tale of survival in this week’s episode of Stories From the Heart, the Heart Foundation’s podcast.

Nathan’s story began with high blood pressure – a significant problem in Australia experienced by some 4.5 million people.

Nathan made significant lifestyle changes including reducing his hours at work, but it wasn’t enough, and in 2020 he was diagnosed with a type A aortic dissection that required emergency surgery to repair.

“They said it was going to be a routine operation, but, in the end, they had to replace the whole top of my aorta – while the three valves that came out of it were replaced with arteries from my groin,” he said.

During the marathon 19-hour operation, Nathan flatlined twice, went through 24 units of blood and developed compartment syndrome in his left calf. His chance of survival was approaching zero.

Three surgeons were required to complete the procedure with one fortunate enough to be given a police escort during Sydney peak hour traffic. It was another lifesaving intervention.

If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be alive. A lot of luck went my way.

Nathan Krepp

Heart disease survivor

Research to help ensure high blood pressure identified early

The Heart Foundation is funding vital research that is hoping to address Australia’s hypertension issue.

In the same podcast episode, we also speak with Dr Niamh Chapman, a Senior Research Fellow from the University of Sydney, about her ground-breaking research supported by the Heart Foundation that aims to measure blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease in pathology waiting rooms.

The Heart Foundation and Stroke Foundation join forces to develop new hypertension guidelines

Just last month, the Heart Foundation and the Stroke Foundation announced a partnership to progress the development of two bespoke sets of guidelines: one for managing and treating hypertension (high blood pressure) and another for managing and treating lipids (such as cholesterol).

The Heart and Stroke Foundations will begin by conducting a systematic review of existing literature later this year, with key stakeholders invited to participate.

Key stakeholders will continue to work with both Foundations to design the new guidelines.