Someone in Wiltshire dies of heart disease every four hours
Local health bosses warn we should be taking better care of ourselves
A person in Wiltshire dies every four hours with heart or circulatory disease - prompting health bosses to urge us to look after ourselves better.
The stats come from the British Heart Foundation, saying it highlights the need for greater awareness of the conditions.
Heart disease occurs when a person’s arteries become so blocked with fatty substances that maintaining a steady blood flow to and from one of the body’s most vital organs becomes challenging.
It can be diagnosed through a variety of different tests, but people who regularly suffer with chest pain and shortness of breath, as well as with feelings of nausea and light-headedness, are advised to speak to their GP.
Dr Amanda Webb, Chief Medical Officer for Wiltshire's Integrated Care Board, said:
“In our region, more than 110,000 people are living with heart or circulatory disease, and it’s almost certain that thousands of others remain undiagnosed.
“It’s not just the people who regularly experience symptoms who need to be cautious, we should all be doing whatever we can to stay heart-healthy.
“Eating a balanced diet, preferably one which is low in harmful saturated fats, cutting back on alcohol, upping activity levels and quitting smoking for good can have an almost instant impact on wellbeing, as can monitoring and maintaining a healthy blood pressure level.”
The British Heart Foundation's urging people to get involved in their Know Your Numbers campaign, encouraging those over the age of 40 to learn about their blood pressure level.
Knowing if it is high, low or sitting at a healthy level can often be the catalyst for wanting to make effective lifestyle changes.
High blood pressure has no visible symptoms, and those who are at risk of heart disease are strongly advised to get their levels checked, with most local pharmacies now offering this free service.
Figures from the British Heart Foundation shows that in our area, more than a quarter of adults (27%) are obese, while a further 28% are worryingly inactive.
Ruth Goss, British Heart Foundation’s Senior Cardiac Nurse, said:
“There are lots of simple things people can do to build healthy habits, such as getting off the bus a stop early or switching the oil used in everyday cooking.
“Small changes like these can really add up over time and will help people to live longer and healthier lives.”
12% of adults in the region are also regular smokers, which not only increases the risk of heart disease, but raises the likelihood of having a stroke and developing many types of cancer.
There's more information on how to look after your heart health, and links to stop smoking services on the NHS BSW website.