The risk of strokes and heart attacks among people aged 35-65 could be reduced by 80 per cent under a targeted national strategy, doctors have said.
Heart specialists will this week call on politicians to develop a network of national cardiovascular risk-prevention clinics that would serve as an early-warning system. The medics are to brief Oireachtas members in Leinster House on their plans ahead of World Hypertension Day, which takes place on Sunday.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can cause restricted blood flow through arteries and lead to heart attacks and strokes. It can be dealt with through medication and lifestyle changes, but many people who experience cardiovascular issues do not learn they have high blood pressure until it is too late.
About 7,500 strokes and 6,000 heart attacks occur in Ireland each year, with some 10,000 deaths annually linked to cardiovascular diseases. A recent study from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing found 36 per cent of older adults had undiagnosed hypertension, with 45 per cent having undiagnosed high cholesterol based on clinical thresholds.
An EU cardiovascular health plan, published in December, emphasises the importance of screening and prevention. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease is, without intervention, forecast to rise by some 90 per cent by 2050 because of Europe’s ageing population.
Galway University Hospital integrated care cardiologist Dr Susan Connolly said the State “cannot afford” not to have an early detection strategy for cardiovascular issues. She said the EU plan envisages people aged 35 and above receiving regular heart health checks.
She said those who receive treatment for cardiac problems through the General Medical Services Scheme are well cared for. This includes most over-65s, but only a quarter of people under that age are covered by the scheme.
Connolly said a system of heart checks for all would have to take place at primary care level and could only be phased in, starting with those under the age of 65. The test would involve looking at not just blood pressure but also kidney function and cholesterol.
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“We cannot afford not to do this as it is cost-effective,” she said.
“These [cardiac incidents] can be prevented, but we need to find the people [at risk] in the first place.”
An expert steering group on hypertension management has been established to help develop a clinical pathway for healthcare providers and patients.
Prof Rónán Collins, consultant in geriatric and stroke medicine at Tallaght University Hospital, said: “Prevention is achievable but requires a deliberate decision to detect earlier, act earlier and more consistently, moving from pilots and pockets of excellence to national delivery in the form of cardiovascular risk-prevention clinics that align with the EU Safe Hearts plan.”
Leaders from the fields of health policy and clinical practice will on Wednesday brief TDs and Senators on their view that establishing national cardiovascular risk-prevention clinics is key to moving away from “inconsistent and delayed-detection care”.