While it may not share the same high profile stage as some of the other twelve stops on the annual calendar that include Easter and Christmas, September holds the honour of being Vascular Disease Awareness Month.

Vascular disease is responsible a quarter of the annual deaths in the UK, killing almost 160,000 people a year. Every day 460 people, one every three minutes, lose their fight with vascular disease, and there are currently 7.6 million people in the UK living with a heart or circulatory disease. That’s a ticking time bomb, one that can and will affect almost all of us in our lifetimes, just waiting to go off.

With that in mind, Protect Line (https://www.protectline.co.uk/) devised a three step awareness plan to help anyone struggling with, or worried about vascular disease that’s built around a simple trio of rules – security, awareness and prevention.

Security – Critical Illness Cover

When it comes to facing the daunting challenges posed by vascular diseases, having the right financial support is essential. Critical Illness Cover is that beacon of hope, offering financial security, peace of mind, versatility, and premium protection.

Critical Illness Cover provides a financial safety net, offering a lump-sum pay out upon diagnosis of a covered vascular condition. This sum can be used to cover medical expenses, ongoing treatments, or even adjustments to your lifestyle.

Knowing you have financial support in place allows you to focus on your recovery, reducing stress during an already challenging time and the pay out from Critical Illness Cover is not restricted, meaning you can use it for a variety of needs, from medical bills to mortgage payments, giving you the flexibility you need. Investing in this type of cover ensures your loved ones won’t be burdened with your medical expenses, providing them with the security they deserve.

Awareness – Recognizing the Signs of Vascular Disease

Early detection can be a game-changer when dealing with vascular diseases. Keep an eye out for these warning signs:

Pain or discomfort while walking, which subsides with rest but returns when active, can indicate peripheral artery disease and unexplained swelling in the legs or ankles might be a sign of vein problems.

Severe chest pain could also be a symptom of an aortic aneurysm, a life-threatening condition, while a sudden vision loss or blurriness may be caused by blood vessel blockages in the eyes and any sudden loss of feeling or weakness in the face, arms, or legs may be a sign of a stroke, which can result from vascular issues.

Prevention – Reducing The Risk Of Vascular Disease

While Critical Illness Cover offers crucial support, prevention is always the best strategy, and there are number of ways that you reduce the risks posed by vascular disease to a minimum.

Maintain a balanced diet and exercise regularly to keep your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels in check and as smoking is a major contributor to almost every vascular disease, it’s a habit that you need to stop if you want to remain healthy.

If you have diabetes, ensure it’s well-managed, as uncontrolled diabetes can lead to vascular complications and schedule routine check-ups and MOTs with your GP to make sure that everything is in tip top working order.

Knowing your family’s medical history can also help, as it will help your GP to detect any potential issues or problems early, and hopefully head them off at the pass before they can cause any long term damage.

David Brewer, the Co-Founder and CEO of Protect Line ( https://www.protectline.co.uk/) said “Vascular Disease Awareness Month serves as a timely reminder that none of us are immune to vascular disease, and hopefully Protect Line’s three step plan can help to reduce the risk that it presents to everyone”