The Regional Director for Health joined today the screening promoted by the Department of Cardiology at the Santo Espírito Hospital on Terceira to mark the World Heart Day. The government official stressed that such initiatives will "raise the awareness of people for the need to change life habits."

"My presence here should be construed as a support and stimulus to these initiatives," João Soares stressed, noting that "cardiovascular diseases hit us, as is all modern societies, and the indicators should worry us a policy-makers, as doctors and as a society."

The screening, held at Praça Velha, with the support of Angra do Heroísmo City Hall focused on hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes; it covered over a hundred people.

The Regional Director reminded that "if people are diagnosed treated on time, they can improve their quality of life and avoid future complications." In this regard, the government official stressed the importance of healthy lifestyles, especially "consuming fruits and vegetables, reducing the intake of salt and fat, avoiding inactivity and tobacco smoking."

"The initiatives such as this one developed by the Department of Cardiology of Terceira Hospital are of great relevance and demonstrate the importance of investing in our health," underlined João Soares.