A cardiologist says that monitoring personal health figures such as BMI and blood pressure can help people avoid a heart attack, AD.nl reports. The advice, summed up as "know your numbers," was published by the Dutch outlet on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.
According to AD.nl, the cardiologist's message centers on patients keeping track of their own measurements rather than waiting for problems to appear. The report names BMI and blood pressure among the figures worth following.
The advice appeared alongside wider Dutch coverage of heart disease in women. RTV Noord reported that the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is asking for more attention to heart conditions in women, quoting the view that "we thought all people were the same." The Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven also shared the story of Paul, 65, to make the point that a man can have what is described as a "women's heart."
The Hartstichting, a Dutch heart foundation, noted that buildings across the Netherlands were lit red for Dress Red Day 2026, an annual event tied to women's heart health. Lifestyle magazine Linda carried a related call for people to wear red, with the message that the female heart should be taken as seriously as the male heart.
Together, the items point to a common thread in Dutch heart health messaging: personal awareness of risk factors, and recognition that symptoms and outcomes can differ between men and women.
What to watch next: whether Dutch health bodies pair the "know your numbers" advice with concrete guidance on how often people should check BMI and blood pressure.
