Heart Disease - SHOCKING STATISTICS
April 18th 2006 00:14
Look after your Heart.
Healthy Living – Heart Disease, SHOCKING STATISTICS
An Australian dies every 10 minutes from Cardiovascular Disease.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is also known as ‘circulatory disease’ or as ‘heart, stroke and vascular disease’ and refers to all diseases and conditions of the heart and blood vessels.
According to a 2005 report by the National Heart Foundation, cardiovascular disease affects 1 in 6 Australians – over 3.2 million people, increasing to 1 in 4 by mid-century.
Ischemic Heart Disease, (pronounced ‘i skeemi ic’, otherwise known as Coronary Heart Disease) is the most common cause of sudden death in Australia. It is characterised by reduced blood supply to the heart and other areas of the body, caused by partial or total blockage of arteries.
Its main manifestations consist of acute myocardial infarction (AMI, or heart attack) and angina (chest pain). The common underlying problem here is atherosclerosis - plaque build-up on the inside of arteries. (This is a form of arteriosclerosis, literally ‘artery hardening’.) This plaque material is mainly cholesterol. If one of these plaques develops and suddenly breaks open, it can travel through the vessel and then form a blood clot, blocking flow to the heart, or in the brain in an Ischemic Stroke.
Among Australians who have a heart attack, about 25% die within an hour of their first-ever symptoms, and over 40% will be dead within a year.
Risk factors for Heart Disease that are still not being controlled today;
• Half the Australian population voer 25 have high blood cholestrol, unchanged since 1980.
• Obesity has DOUBLED since 1980, with over 54% of Australians adults not exercising enough.
• 30% of Australians over 25 have high blood pressure, and 24% of adults still smoke.
• Diabetes prevalence has more than DOUBLED over recent years.
If you are interested to find out more about this unforgiving illness that affects 67% of Australian families, please visit the heart foundation website, and more specifically view at least the first few pages of this disturbing report;
http://www.heartfoundation.com.au/media/nhfa_shifting_burden_cvd_0505.pdf
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Comment by Ricardo
Comment by RachDegab
Yes that's exactly right! Please, shout it out from the rooftops if you must...
'ALL YOU NEED TO BE HEALTHY AS YOU CAN IS EXERCISE AND A BALANCED DIET!!!'
It's so simple it scares me, yet so many people EVERY 10 minutes die from things like heart disease.... which in most cases CAN BE prevented!
If I could change one thing in the world, it would be making sure people live by fresh air and exercise and eat well!
Rach
By the way, at the moment I'm eating a packet of frozen berries... mmmm...
Comment by Shamuel
rach you really are an eye opener! im gonna go and check out all you other stuff, im sure its worth reading.
im off for a run now and a salad sandwich!