- Cardiovascular disease is the world's leading cause of death and one of the biggest health problems in modern society. Take it to Heart campaign aims to raise awareness about the seriousness of these diseases and highlights the importance of regular LDL cholesterol checks.
- In collaboration with comedian Matjaz Javšnik, Novartis presents the first stand-up show in Slovenia, Cholesterol is not a comedy, available only on www.vzemiksrcu.si.
- Novartis in Slovenia provides modern medicines to alleviate the biggest health burdens in society, which is why cardiovascular disease is one of the company's key focus areas.
Ljubljana, May 16 2024 - For decades, cardiovascular diseases have been the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in adults in the developed world, including Slovenia. The main risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases is elevated LDL cholesterol levels, which is why Novartis in Slovenia is launching ‘’Take it to heart’’ campaign to raise awareness about the seriousness of cardiovascular diseases and to encourage people to lower their LDL cholesterol levels. To this end, Novartis and Matjaž Javšnik have prepared a stand-up show "Cholesterol is not a comedy", in which the comedian shares his personal experience with a heart attack and urges people to take their health seriously.
Novartis Slovenia recognizes cardiovascular disease as one of its key areas of focus, as it is one of the biggest health problems in modern society. As these diseases are not accompanied by any obvious symptoms, many people become aware of them when it is too late. Heart attacks and strokes, which are often caused by elevated cholesterol, are the most common causes of death and long-term disability. We usually think of elevated levels of LDL cholesterol, or so-called 'bad cholesterol'.
A comedy, which you’ll to take to heart
Novartis in Slovenia designed the ‘’Take it to Heart’’ campaign as a response to the fact that we pay too little attention to our cardiovascular health and cholesterol levels, even though it represents a major risk to society. The campaign invited Matjaž Javšnik, a well-known comedian, who, in an original monocomedy, explores the attitudes of Slovenians towards health, the healthcare system and all the rules we have to follow, while also sharing with the audience his personal experience of a heart attack that changed his life. "People are not very aware of how important health is. Until it's too late," says Matjaž Javšnik. "And it's always good to communicate such important matters in the first person singular. So things that have happened to you personally. Then people trust it more, believe it more and are more willing to follow it," he added.
Cholesterol is not a comedy, is not just a show, it is a mission. It is a collaboration between the author and the Association of Cardiologists of Slovenia, the Association of Family Medicine Physicians of Slovenia, the Slovenian Heart and Vascular Association, the Association of Coronary Societies and Clubs of Slovenia and Novartis in Slovenia. Viewers can also find other useful educational content on cholesterol on the website www.vzemiksrcu.si, where the stand-up comedy is free to watch. The aim of all the activities in the campaign is to raise awareness of the importance of regular checks of LDL cholesterol levels in our bodies. "Cardiovascular disease is one of the main areas we are working on at Novartis, as we want to focus our modern medicines on tackling society's biggest health challenges. We can make a big difference to our cardiovascular health by making small changes, so we want to encourage people to take action," added Novartis.