This week MP Neil Carmichael discusses health in Stroud...

THE British Heart Foundation – a renowned and effective charity fighting for pioneering research and improvements in patient care – was recently in the House of Commons.

The theme was cardiovascular disease backed up by localised knowledge on a constituency basis.

The Stroud Valleys and Vale has a population of around 100,000 and there is an estimated 10,580 people with cardiovascular disease.

Breaking this latter figure down, some 1,788 have survived a stroke, over 3,000 are living with some form of coronary disease and nearly 700 have heart failure. This is about average as compared to all other constituencies but is a sharp reminder of the scale of the challenge in terms of preventing heart problems. Healthier choices is one of the chief ways in avoiding health concerns of all types and heart conditions in particular.

With 17 per cent of constituents smoking and almost 20,000 defined as clinically obese, the efforts made by the BHF to highlight the value of healthier lifestyle should be appreciated. Keeping fit, eating and drinking sensibly, and taking steps to restrict the impact of smoking, such as the measures being introduced to stop smoking is cars containing children, all amount to good practice.

The BHF is not just about prevention. Already, 58 defibrillators have been installed across the Valleys and Vale in villages and amenities such as the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Slimbridge. Nine local schools and organisations have also been given free “Call.Push.Rescue” training kits.

Heart conditions are, of course, a major reason for going to hospital. Nationally, some 175,000 people are treated in hospitals for heart attacks each year and 235,000 end up in hospital as a result of having a stroke. Most of these events are emergencies so it was also good to see the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in the House of Commons promoting a better understanding of emergency medicine.

It is essential to have a three pronged approach to cardiovascular disease; good public health policy including promoting increased awareness of the condition, relentless and innovative medical research, and capacity to save lives in emergency situations.