Moving every day, weighing yourself regularly, sticking to your treatment and medical appointments, limiting salt: four good habits to adopt by French people suffering from heart failure are at the heart of a new health insurance campaign, launched on Tuesday.
Heart failure affects at least 1.5 million people in France, and its prevalence is expected to increase by 25% every four years. This pathology, which causes 70,000 deaths per year, is to date the leading cause of hospitalization among those over 65.
Although this disease mainly affects seniors, its incidence increases before the age of 55 due to other risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity, smoking or a sedentary lifestyle.
"It 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 behaviors, that is the objective of this campaign," explained the deputy director of the Cnam, Marguerite Cazeneuve, during a press conference.
Assuring that "prevention is central to health insurance" and is part of the "investments that we will continue to increase", the number two of the institution stressed that "what costs the health system dearly are chronic and serious pathologies, and it is a win-win situation that patients are diagnosed as early as possible" and better monitored.
The new campaign on heart failure, launched in the run-up to World Heart Day on September 29, focuses on the testimonies of four patients, two women and two men, who each embody a good reflex.
It will be available in videos on the ameli.fr website, a leaflet that can be given out by treating physicians, and a poster intended for general practitioners' offices.
Tools are also available on the health insurance website: physical activity test and ideas for moving more, weight measurement grid and signs to watch for, "reference" poster for limiting salt on a daily basis and managing appointments, etc.
Health professionals (doctors, nurses, etc.) will also be made aware via their specific information channels.
Two years ago, the Cnam launched a first national campaign on heart failure focusing on four warning signs (unusual shortness of breath, rapid weight gain, swelling of the feet and ankles, excessive fatigue).
At the same time, tools have been deployed to help care teams develop territorialized care pathways.
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