In the year that the British Heart Foundation (BHF) was formed, Wales lost more than 17,600 men, women and children to heart and circulatory disease.
53 years on, the charity’s research has driven incredible advances in prevention, diagnosis and treatment – and now the annual number of heart and circulatory disease deaths in Wales has fallen by half.
But in spite of this progress, coronary heart disease is still Wales’ single biggest killer, being responsible for more than one in four deaths – around 25 people every day – with 375,000 people in Wales having to live with its daily challenges.
It is a devastating disease which can affect anyone, from babies to grandparents. It generally affects more men than women, although from the age of 50 the chances of developing the condition are similar for both sexes. As well as angina chest pains, the main symptoms include heart attacks and heart failure. However, not everyone has the same symptoms and some people may not have any prior to the condition is diagnosed.
Keeping your heart healthy, whatever your age, is the most important thing we can all do to help prevent and manage heart disease. By making some simple lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy balanced diet, being physically active and quitting smoking can significantly reduce risks and also provide other benefits, such as reducing the risks of stroke and dementia.
With with nearly 2,400 people under the age of 75 in Wales still dying from heart and circulatory disease, it is vital that the new Welsh Government makes tackling Wales’ biggest killers one of its top priorities. It must invest in services, improve early diagnosis and do more to prevent the causes of the disease. It’s not good enough that referral to waiting times targets are currently being missed for cardiac patients or that ambulances don’t always turn up in time in life threatening situations, putting lives at risk – these issues must be tackled.
We also need to take action to educate our young people by ensuring that opportunities are provided in our schools to embed an understanding of the risks and how they can develop positive lifestyle habits that will serve them well for life. Our children should also be exposed to first aid training so that knowing how to respond in an emergency becomes second nature.
The British Heart Foundation must get all the support it needs to continue its pioneering research into heart and circulatory disease. Its vision is a world where people don't die prematurely from heart disease – with its continued efforts and support from the Welsh Government, alongside us all playing our part by leading healthier lifestyles, it is a vision which hopefully will become a reality in the not so distant future.