Number suffering heart attacks falls for first time in the Lothians

Published on Thursday 5 March 2009 08:41

THE number of people hit by heart attacks in the Lothians appears to have fallen for the first time in years following a concerted series of health campaigns.

The better outlook has been put down to improved care for problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Medics also believe more people are reaping the rewards of leading a healthier lifestyle.

The number of patients admitted to Lothians hospitals with heart attacks fell six per cent last year from 7776 to 7275. The drop is believed to be the first after years of mounting problems.

Charities have warned, however, that Scotland continues to lag behind most of the western world when it comes to cardiac health.

Dr Graham MacKenzie, a consultant in public health for NHS Lothian, said many people were doing more to help themselves after being warned they were at risk of a heart attack.

"We have seen real improvements in coronary heart disease," he said. "The number of deaths and hospital admissions due to coronary heart disease are falling, and survival is improving.

"Of course, coronary heart disease does remain a major cause of illness and early death in Scotland, and we are increasingly focusing resources on more disadvantaged communities.

"The important factors here are prevention and treatment. In prevention more people are stopping smoking, eat more healthily and take more exercise.

"In treatment there have been improvements in the management of long-term conditions through the control of blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol."

Part of the improvement is thought to have come from a programme to help patients who do have heart attacks avoid suffering another.

They are given advice on how to improve their health as well as receiving particular treatments where appropriate.

One concern remains the wealth divide among heart patients, with the majority of under-75s who died from heart attacks deemed to have lived in poverty. There tend to be higher rates of smoking and drinking in poorer areas.

Livingston GP Dr Bob Finnie, a trustee of the charity Heart UK, said there was still a long way to go to tackle substantial problems.

"Progress has been made on this, it's slow and this is still an enormous problem, but any kind of progress is welcome," he added.

&#149 www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

&#149 www.heartuk.org.uk