People 'in the dark' about heart risks

PEOPLE still don't know enough about the causes of heart disease despite decades of health education, says a leading medical charity.

A study carried out on behalf of Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke (NICHS) shows that younger people are most in the dark about the illness. The charity is urging them to learn more during Have a Heart Week (Feb 8-14).

Although death rates from heart disease have fallen, it still claims around 9 lives every day in Northern Ireland. Have a Heart Week is designed to raise awareness of the condition, and to raise much-needed funds for research in Northern Ireland’s hospitals and universities.

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To mark the occasion, the Mayor of Ballymoney Borough Council, Alderman Frank Campbell urged people to support NI Chest Heart and Stroke’s ‘Beat Heart Disease’ Campaign.

NICHS’s Chief Executive, Andrew Dougal, said: “We are concerned that people in their 40s and 50s are dying without warning from their first heart attack. I personally know of two men in that age range who lost their lives last year. People need to acquaint themselves with the warning signs and risk factors. Research in Scotland has shown that people are affected by narrowing of the arteries as early as the teenage years. With the prevalence of junk food and lack of regular exercise, it’s likely that the same heart disease “time bomb” is building up here as well. The only way to avoid it is improved knowledge, a better diet and more exercise.”

Money raised during Have a Heart Week will help the charity’s health promotion work and contribute to its research work. It is spending 500,000 on research in the current year.

More information and advice about heart disease can be found at www.nichsa.com or by phoning the charity’s help line 08457 697299 (charged at local rate from anywhere in Northern Ireland).