Fall in heart attack and stroke deaths


14 September 2006 11:58

Death rates from heart attacks and strokes in Norwich have halved in the last decade due to new treatments and preventative measures.

Evidence shows fewer people are dying before their time of these two major conditions than they were 10 years ago, according to a report by the city's director of public health, Peter Brambleby.

The most common form of circulatory disease - coronary heart disease and stroke - are caused by a variety of risk factors including smoking high blood pressure, raised blood cholesterol and obesity.

The Norwich Primary Care Trust (PCT) is well on track to exceeding a government target which states death rates from heart disease and strokes in people under 75 must be reduced by 40pc.

In Norwich it has already been reduced by 50pc due to early diagnosis and improvements in treatment and care.

Dr Peter Bramleby said: “This is good news for the area. Fewer people are dying young from heart attacks and strokes.

“This is down to a combination of many health services working together to provide more treatment and medicines for disease. It is also largely down to health prevention and we are now getting the message through on how people can keep themselves healthy.

“We have actually exceeded the government target and this is very positive. I hope we continue this momentum and continue to reduce the rates of heart attacks and strokes as well as roll this out into other areas in the health services.”

Earlier this year Dr Brambleby called for action to stop hundreds of city people dying before their time.

Some £28 million-a-year has been spent treating cancer heart attacks and strokes and Norwich people were dying prematurely by as much as 25 years because the causes of disease were not being tackled.

The two main causes of death in Norwich for 2004 when statistics were last taken are cancers and circulatory diseases (heart attacks and strokes).

Together they account for about two thirds of all deaths in the city each year.

Do you have any health stories for the Evening News? Telephone Sarah Hall on (01603) 772426 or email sarah.hall2@archant.co.uk

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