Keep a healthy heart – whatever your age!

Coronary heart disease is still Scotland’s single biggest killer – so the importance of maintaining a healthy heart has never been greater.

ACCORDING to a Scottish Government report on the health of Scotland’s population the overall mortality rate has actually dropped by 27% (between 1994 and 2016). And it is good news particularly for the number of heartrelated deaths as there has been a significant decline in the number of Scots dying of coronary heart disease (CHD) – which has dropped by 66% since 1994 to 134 per 100,000.

However, despite the seemingly comforting statistics, CHD is still the single biggest killer in Scotland, according to a British Heart Foundation report (November 2018). It states: “CHD is responsible for over 6,700 deaths in Scotland each year – that’s around 18 deaths per day.”

In fact, CHD kills nearly three times as many women as breast cancer in Scotland.

What exactly is CHD? Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart and circulatory disease. It occurs when arteries which supply blood to your heart become narrowed or blocked. This prevents your arteries from carrying blood to your heart and can lead to angina (chest pain) or a heart attack. Of course, prevention is much better than cure and there are many things we can do to reduce our risks of suffering from coronary heart disease or experiencing a heart attack. We are regularly told that the risks increase with smoking, drinking too much, poor diet, lack of exercise and not having a good work/life balance. Sarah Smith, cardiac adviser at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “While the figures have dropped, CHD is still a big killer. It’s never too late to make changes to help reduce your risk of CHD and improve your health. Changes like cutting down on the amount of fat, sugar and salt you eat or getting more exercise can have big benefits, whatever your age. The key is to embed these changes into your daily routine and stick with them. By making long-lasting lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, increase your energy levels and reduce your risk of CHD (and stroke). Making more than one change can achieve even better results.” Regular exercise is probably just as important as leading a healthy lifestyle, as the heart muscle is the most important muscle in your body. However, it is often hard to motivate yourself to exercise on your own. Those who are members of a club will tell you that there are many benefits to exercising in a group setting, along with like-minded individuals. Not only do they provide you with support and encouragement, it is also a great way to socialise and meet new friends. Think about your health and wellbeing and try to maintain and achieve a good balance of sleep, rest and physical activity. If you are feeling stressed, take life a little slower and spend more time relaxing and taking time for yourself.

FACTS ABOUT CORONOARY HEART DISEASE (CHD)*

• More people die in Scotland from CHD than anywhere else in the UK

• More than 2,500 Scots under the age of 75 die from CHD every year

• In Scotland, there are almost a quarter of a million people living with coronary heart disease: 140,000 men and 100,000 women

• 1 in 4 deaths in Scotland are caused by heart and circulatory diseases

• Every 20 minutes someone in Scotland goes to hospital because of heart attacks

*Source: British Heart Foundation, Scotland Factsheet, November 2018