Every June, with heart health in mind, “Mēness aptieka” raises important issues about cardiovascular diseases and their prevention, conducts public opinion polls and, in cooperation with doctors and the patient organisation, encourages greater use of prevention options and brings forth important topics for discussions relating to heart health. This year, the focus is on a topic that is less common in Latvia, but that has already been prominently featured in research worldwide: non-traditional risk factors for health, especially environmental factors.

A discussion organised by Mēness aptieka in cooperation with the patient organisation Parsirdi.lv in the experimental space Siltumnīca in Āgenskalns Market was dedicated to seeking answers to questions about the effects of environment on heart health. The invited experts analysed the results of a survey on the awareness of the Latvian population of various factors affecting heart health, with a conclusion on the importance of the environment in which we live. The discussion was attended by Minister for Climate and Energy Kaspars Melnis, cardiologist, professor of the University of Latvia Andrejs Ērglis, Dr. med., docent of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine of Riga Stradiņš University Žanna Martinsone, andrologist, urologist of “Klīnika EGV” Andris Ābele, pharmacist, Board Member of “Mēness aptieka” Ērika Pētersone, Head of Āgenskalna Neighbourhood Association Roberts Kārkliņš. The moderator was Jānis Krops.

The panellists emphasised the role of awareness, education, community action and interaction in both individual and public health, as well as in creating a healthy, sustainable environment.

“We see that the population is becoming more and more aware of the various risk factors – we also consider our work to be a positive influence on this, as we regularly remind customers at the pharmacy about these factors in our everyday work. The commonly named factors – smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, etc. – are also more frequently pointed out by doctors and mentioned in the media. But we want people to be more aware and to understand how closely every step of our daily life is linked to health, that there are other aspects that we rarely consider and we don’t even know how to protect ourselves from them. Noise, pollution, quality of lighting – it’s important to take a broader view when it comes to taking care of our health”, says pharmacist Ērika Pētersone, Board Member of “Mēness aptieka”.