Mayor supports CHS Have a Heart Week

The Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke campaign is designed to promote awareness of heart conditions and to raise much-needed funds for research in Northern Ireland’s hospitals and universities.

It is also aimed at helping people to avoid the illness by improving diet and lifestyle, and to assist those who are living with the condition. This year the charity hopes to encourage people in their 30s and 40s to pay more attention to heart health, as they are failing to share in the downward trend of deaths from cardiovascular disease.

The appeal is supported by the Mayor, Alderman Jim McClurg, who experienced a family member suffer a heart attack at just 45.

“It’s very important to raise awareness of heart conditions, and I would strongly encourage everyone to go for regular blood pressure check-ups with their GP,” he said. “People are having fatal heart attacks in their 40s, which is just much younger than anyone would expect.”

Coronary heart disease is caused by a fatty build-up in the arteries. In many people this causes angina, or chest pain, allowing them to seek treatment. However in some it remains undiagnosed because there are no physical symptoms.

The number of lives claimed by diseases of the circulatory system has been in steady decline in Northern Ireland – from 5,272 in 2004 to 4,485 in 2009, the last year for which figures are available. However, deaths in the under 55s have remained roughly the same, at around 250. The vast majority are caused by heart disease and stroke, which have similar risk factors.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests that an increasing number of younger men are suffering heart attacks without any previous warning. While some die, those who survive are left with lasting physical effects and are at risk of subsequent heart attacks,” said Valerie Saunders, NI CHS Appeals Co-ordinator in Carrickfergus.

“Men especially need to know the risks because they tend to visit the doctor less often. We hope to set up a Carrickfergus support group in the coming weeks to raise local awareness and to aid those who have suffered a respiratory disease, heart attack or stroke. We’d also like to hold a CHS ‘Hearty Lunch’ fundraiser in the area in June as well.”

For upcoming events, information and advice, visit www.nichs.org.uk.