About 5,000 people die from coronary heart disease every year while some 13 per cent of premature deaths are from heart attacks. Coronary heart disease describes what happens when the heart’s blood supply is blocked by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. This process is known as atherosclerosis and is primarily caused by smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.
As treatment and technology improves, more people are surviving acute coronary syndromes and heart attacks. But they are at high risk of recurrent events, and are the focus of lifestyle change and secondary prevention programmes.
Although the medical benefits of secondary cardiac prevention are well established, data on the economic benefits is more sparse. But a recent economic analysis of the MyAction programme run by Croí, the West of Ireland Cardiology Foundation, shows the value of structured secondary prevention delivered in the community.
Since the 12-to-16 week programme was established in 2009, Croí has invested €700,000 in MyAction. With the economic analysis showing €4.8 million in benefits, it is clear the prevention programme is delivering improvement in heart disease survival and significant health cost savings.
The intensive lifestyle and risk factor reduction programme has produced some striking benefits for those who have taken part: a smoking quit rate of 51 per cent; greater adherence to a “Mediterranean Diet” which is directly linked to a reduction in risk of heart attack and stroke; and an average weight reduction among participants of 3.7 kg.
In addition, those who met enhanced physical activity targets can look forward to a 30 per cent reduction in future cardiac events. Improved blood pressure and cholesterol readings among participants means their risk of heart attack and stroke has dropped significantly.
With such impressive benefits, the Department of Health must ensure MyAction is implemented nationally. It is an impressive model of how to reshape our health service by moving from reactive to preventive healthcare.