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Heart Deaths Number 1 Killer In Europe

Thursday 14 February 2008

Heart and stroke deaths are the main cause of mortality in Europe as revealed in figures published on St Valentine’s Day. They kill 4.3million Europeans each year. In Northern Ireland the figure is over 4,000 deaths. The single most common cause is coronary heart disease which alone kills 22% of women and 21% of men in Europe. However, the men will tend to die at a younger age. In Northern Ireland young men in the 40s are still dying suddenly and without warning of heart disease.

Heart and stroke deaths are the main cause of mortality in Europe as revealed in figures published on St Valentine's Day. They kill 4.3million Europeans each year. In Northern Ireland the figure is over 4,000 deaths. The single most common cause is coronary heart disease which alone kills 22% of women and 21% of men in Europe. However, the men will tend to die at a younger age. In Northern Ireland young men in the 40s are still dying suddenly and without warning of heart disease.

Andrew Dougal, Chief Executive of NI Chest Heart & Stroke said, "I thought that, with a reduction of more than 70% in heart deaths in the last 20 years that we would see an end to such tragic loss of life in these young people.

This why we need all general practices to implement risk scores for heart disease and risk assessments which should be offered to all men over 35 years and all women over 50 years."

NICHS in 1987 pioneered cholesterol measurement as a preventive measure. This was combined with blood pressure measurements, smoking history and physical activity. This gave an overall risk score. Many tens of thousands of Ulster men and women have been assessed. Many individuals have been identified at an early stage in their disease because of this service and because of similar services run through general practices. One of the results of this was that the number of people dying suddenly because of a first cardiac episode has dropped dramatically. However, quite a number of young deaths still do occur and for the family this brings total loss and painful grief to them. This grief and this loss may have been avoided.

Do ask your general practice for an MOT if you are over 40 years.

As a result of this you could be running well for many more years.

Ends

 

Notes to Editors:

European Heart Network statistics are released today. 31% of years of life lost established market economies, (mostly Northern, Southern and Western Europe), were due to CVD (cardiovascular deaths - heart disease, stroke and other diseases of the circulatory system). In Central and Eastern Europe 35% of years of life lost were due to CVD.

The world-wide Monica Project showed that two thirds of the decline in CHD was due to a drop in incidence. This shows the important role played by risk factors, particularly because of the drop in the number smoking. One third of this decline in death is due to the improved methods of treatment.

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