Bayer is using rock and roll to raise awareness about the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, launching the ‘Hey You!’ campaign to get over 60s thinking about their heart health.
Teaming up with rock session drummer Clem Cattini and several UK heart charities, Bayer aims to improve awareness of the signs of an irregular heartbeat and boost stroke prevention in over 60s.
The music-centred campaign encourages people to pay attention to the rhythm of their heart and talk to their doctor if the beat doesn’t feel quite right – a vital first step in identifying AF and reducing stroke risk.
Patients with AF are six times more likely to have a stroke, according to research by the ABPI, with half of those who have a stroke not surviving more than 12 months. The remainder often face heart failure, poor mental health and reduced quality of life.
Eve Knight, co-founder and chief executive of AntiCoagulation Europe – one of the ‘Hey You!’ campaign partners – said: “AF is the most common abnormal heart rhythm in the UK, significantly increasingly the risk of stroke.
“Yet 50% of people living with the condition don’t realise they have it, and many don’t recognise the symptoms until they have a life-threatening stroke.
“It’s important we’re supporting AF patients by doing all we can to reduce stroke risk, that is why AntiCoagulation Europe is delighted to be involved in the ‘Hey You!’ Campaign.
Around 1.5 million people in the UK are affected by AF, and Bayer hopes that increased awareness and better management of AF-related stroke risk could prevent up to 7,000 strokes and 2,000 deaths each year.
While most likely to affect those aged 65 and over, approximately 1 in every 200 50-59 year-olds has AF and the number of people in the UK with the condition is expected to double by 2050.