Irish men need a change of heart
Rugby stars join drive to promote cardiac health
One in four men do not prioritise heart health despite cardiovascular disease being a leading cause of premature death.
The Central Statistics Office data shows almost 30% of all premature deaths in 2018, in those under 65, were from cardiovascular conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.
Almost three quarters of those deaths, 73%, were in men.
Despite this, an Ipsos MRBI poll for the Irish Heart Foundation has revealed 28% of men do not consider the health of their heart a priority.
The charity has launched a new campaign, Reboot Your Life, to encourage men to review their lifestyles to protect their health.
It is being backed by former Irish rugby stars, including Tommy Bowe, Malcolm O’kelly, Paul Wallace and Peter
Stringer. In the past five
years, two of their friends and former team-mates, Anthony “Axel” Foley and Gary Halpin, died suddenly due to heart issues aged just 42 and 55.
Stringer said: “Nobody expected a heart condition to take him [Foley] away so young.
“One in four men in Ireland will lose their lives to heart disease or stroke, but we need to give ourselves the best possible chance.
“Get active, eat healthier and get yourself a check up.”
CSO data shows 999 men died of a heart attack last year, compared to 642 women.
In the same year, in the 45 to 54 age group, 217 men died of heart disease and stroke compared to only 75 women.
IHF spokeswoman Janis Morrissey said: “The older you get, the higher your risk and so we are encouraging men, particularly men in their 40s and 50s, to take stock of and reboot their lifestyles by identifying what simple changes they can make now to benefit their heart health.”
The campaign is being supported by the HSE as part of its delivery on Healthy Ireland.
Spokesman Fergal Fox said: “Women tend to be more proactive in engaging with their health. In fact, men are typically 33% less likely to engage with their GP before they experience heart issues.
“That is why this campaign is so important, it encourages men to take action now before that crisis.”
news@irishmirror.ie