Cardiovascular disease CVD and its impact in the workplace
Posted on 19th January 2025 at 12:51
As an HR manager or employer, you play a crucial role in supporting the health and wellbeing of your workforce. One area that deserves particular attention is cardiovascular disease (CVD), a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels.
In this blog post, we'll explore what CVD is, who's at risk, and how you can support your employees' heart health.
Remember, this information is not a replacement for professional medical advice, but it can help you create a heart-healthy workplace.
What is cardiovascular disease (CVD)?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an umbrella term for conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. This includes coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and aortic disease.
These conditions are often linked to a process called atherosclerosis, where fatty deposits build up in the arteries, making it difficult for blood to flow through
How common is CVD in the UK?
CVD is a significant health concern in the UK. Over 7.6 million people in the UK are living with heart and circulatory diseases. It's a sobering fact that CVD causes more than a quarter (26%) of all deaths in England – about 140,000 deaths each year. It's often seen as a condition (or groups of conditions) that affect older people - however, around 39,000 people under the age of 75 in England die from CVD each year. There is increasing concern that CVD in young adults of working age is on the rise.
These numbers highlight the importance of addressing CVD in the workplace.
What are the symptoms of CVD?
Symptoms can vary depending on the specific condition, but it's important to be aware of some common signs. For coronary heart disease, these might include chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, pain throughout the body, feeling faint, or feeling sick.
Stroke symptoms - as well as the emergency response that you can take - are often remembered by the acronym FAST: Face weakness, Arm weakness, Speech problems, and Time to call 999.
Heart failure can cause breathlessness, fatigue, swollen ankles and legs, and feeling lightheaded or fainting.
It's crucial to note that some people may not experience symptoms before being diagnosed with CVD. And that some symptoms of a heart attack and feelings of anxiety can feel quite similar.
This is why regular check-ups and awareness are so important.
Who is at risk of CVD?
Several factors can increase a person's risk of developing CVD. Age is a significant factor, with risk increasing particularly for those over 65. However, as noted above, younger people are also increasingly developing the conditions. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obesity, and physical inactivity all play a role. Family history of CVD is also important to consider. Interestingly, ethnicity can also be a factor, with South Asian people having a higher risk of death from heart disease
What can HR managers and employers do to promote good heart health?
As an employer, you're in a unique position to support your employees' heart health. Enabling regular health assessments is a great start. Creating a heart-healthy work environment is also crucial. This could involve offering healthy food options in the cafeteria and vending machines.
Promoting physical activity is another key area. You might consider implementing standing desks, encouraging walking meetings, or offering on-site fitness classes. Supporting smoking cessation by providing resources and support for employees who want to quit can make a big difference.
Managing stress is also vital for heart health. Consider offering stress management workshops and promoting a healthy work-life balance. Raising awareness through events or workshops about CVD prevention and heart health can help educate your workforce. See the Verve Healthcare resources section for videos and tips on encouraging healthy choices.
Supporting employees with CVD
If an employee has been diagnosed with CVD, it's important to understand their needs. The Employment Rights Bill sets out employer responsibilities coming into effect.
Have open conversations about any workplace adjustments they might need. Being flexible with working hours or remote work options to accommodate medical appointments can be incredibly helpful. If you need help with this, then our Verve Proactive partners may be able to assist. They can help with HR aspects for training, difficult conversations and onward employer support.
Promoting a supportive work culture is crucial. Ensure colleagues are understanding and supportive. Providing resources such as information about employee assistance programmes or support groups can also be beneficial
The importance of early detection and prevention of CVD
Early detection and prevention of CVD are vital. The NHS Long Term Plan aims to prevent up to 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases over the next 10 years. As an employer, you can play a part in this by providing employees with regular health check-ups and supporting lifestyle changes.
Early detection and prevention could prevent 49.000 strokes and 32,000 heart attacks each year - saving 9,000 lives.
Clearly early detection is good for the employee, but there are associated benefits for the employer too. While we look at the human side of healthcare, it follows that there will also be a business benefit for keeping staff healthy, happy and productive. Many early detection strategies have been found to be cost-effective and may reduce CVD-related costs compared to no early detection.
Specific benefits for high-risk conditions
Early detection and treatment of high-risk conditions can have significant benefits:
Atrial fibrillation: For every 100 people with AF identified and treated with anticoagulation medication, an average of four strokes are averted.
High blood pressure: Increasing both the diagnosis and optimal management of hypertension by just 10% could prevent around 7,500 CVD events in one year.
Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH): Early detection and treatment with lipid-lowering drugs can reduce the risk of heart and circulatory disease and lead to a near-normal life expectancy
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