HEART UK launches Manifesto for Better Heart Health

Jan. 29, 2015 - PRLog -- HEART UK, The Cholesterol Charity, has launched a new manifesto for better heart health to ensure cardio vascular disease (CVD), the UK’s biggest single killer, remains a key government priority.

While there has been significant progress in the management and treatment of CVD over the past 20 years, which has resulted in an overall decline of CVD deaths, it is crucial that these results do not lead to a misplaced belief that the ’job is done‘. There are still around 160,000 deaths every year and about 175,000 heart attacks, so it is more important than ever that CVD remains high on the UK health agenda.

With these challenges in mind, HEART UK has launched a clear and focused manifesto to address the issues around treatment and management of CVD. The priorities are:

- Commit to see through implementation of the CVD Outcome Strategy
- Incentivise and support better management  of CVD at local level
- Develop a national programme for Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) under NHS England with ring-fenced funding
- Implement robust data collection and support access to quality data

Commenting on the manifesto launch, HEART UK Chief Executive, Ms Jules Payne, said: “With cardiovascular disease remaining the UK’s single biggest killer and cholesterol being a major risk factor, we are urging the future government not be complacent with the current programmes and dedicate funding and support to future management, treatments and reporting of heart disease.”

The manifesto was launched at the House of Commons and attending MPs and Peers were offered the opportunity to have their cholesterol levels checked as part of HEART UK’s mission for the majority of UK adults to know and understand their cholesterol levels and to be taking any necessary action.

Interestingly, the results from the tests taken at the House of Commons event revealed that the average total cholesterol was 5.24 for males and 5.22 for females. This is slightly raised as it is recommended that levels under 5 would be best.  Anyone who recorded higher levels of cholesterol were provided with information and support about how they can go about reducing them. This sample of tests demonstrates on a micro-level how important it is for UK adults to understand their cholesterol levels.

“There is still a lot of work to do both at local and national levels to ensure that knowledge of different lipid conditions is understood by adults in the UK and that once conditions are diagnosed, our health system can continue to give them the help and support required,” concluded Ms Payne. A full copy of the manifesto can be downloaded here: http://heartuk.org.uk/files/uploads/manifesto.pdf

NOTES TO EDITORS

HEART UK was formed in 2002 following a merger of The Family Heart Association (FHA) and the British Hyperlipidaemia Association (BHA).

HEART UK is an acronym for Hyperlipidaemia Education & Atherosclerosis Research Trust UK.

HEART UK - The Cholesterol Charity - promotes healthy hearts and better lives by:

·         helping and supporting individuals, families and health professionals to understand and control cholesterol conditions and other heart risks

·         promoting education and research to improve identification, prevention, treatment and care of cholesterol and lipid conditions

·         working in partnership with government, the NHS, industry and other charities

·         promoting best practice in addressing inherited and non-inherited cholesterol conditions

Six in 10 adults in the UK have raised cholesterol. Over 120,000 people in Britain have a form of inherited high cholesterol called Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) which can cause premature death as those as young as 30 – and only 15% of those with the condition are known.

People wishing to find out more about FH should contact: HEART UK on the helpline – 0345 450 5988, or visit www.heartuk.org.uk

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