JUST ONE IN seven people in Ireland can correctly identify the symptoms of heart failure – despite the fact that it is one of Ireland’s deadliest conditions.
An Ipsos MRBI poll for the Irish Heart Foundation has shown that just 14 per cent of people surveyed could name more than one symptom of heart failure – such as unexplained breathlessness, swollen ankles and severe tiredness.
In terms of prevention, just five per cent of respondents said that treatment for high blood pressure was an important action people could take to reduce their risk of heart failure – a fact that Irish Heart Foundation Medical Director, Dr Angie Brown, called “extremely worrying”, given that high blood pressure predates the majority of heart failure presentations.
More than 90,000 people in Ireland are living with heart failure and 20,000 are admitted to hospital each year as a result of the condition, which the Irish Heart Foundation says has a worse five year survival rate than many forms of cancer. The IHF says it is vital for people to understand how deadly heart failure can be if left untreated – pointing out that 60 per cent of heart failure sufferers will die within five years of experiencing the condition.
Respondents also appeared to be confused about what exactly heart failure was: while 93 per cent of those surveyed were familiar with the term, just 73 per cent could correctly identify it as a condition that prevents the heart from pumping properly or working as efficiently as it could.
Brown said that there was “no doubt” that low awareness levels of heart failure was leading to high levels of avoidable death in Ireland. “Because so few people understand how common and life threatening the condition is, they are not seeking the prompt medical assistance that can save their lives. With suitable treatment patients can live an active and comfortable life, preventing the heart function getting worse and helping them live longer,” she said.
The IHF says that 42 per cent of hospital bed time is related to heart failure admissions, and says that timely interventions significantly improve both patients’ quality of life and longevity – as well as making huge cost savings.
As well as ignorance surrounding the true symptoms of heart failure, the survey also showed that respondents incorrectly thought some unrelated symptoms were associated with the condition. Some 51 per cent of the 1,000 people polled wrongly thought that chest pain was a heart failure symptom, whilst 58 per cent mistakenly defined it as a heart attack or a condition that stopped the heart beating.
“All this points to dangerous levels of ignorance and confusion at a time when the incidence of heart failure is predicted to rise dramatically – up to 63 per cent by 2019, Brown said. “There is little chance that the HSE will undertake an expensive awareness raising campaign – despite the benefits of doing so – given the prevailing economic climate. So people have to take it on themselves to make sure they know the warning signs and what they have to do to minimise their risk of developing heart failure”.
Brown identified several points that can help to prevent heart failure:
For your free copy of Living well with Heart Failure, contact the Irish Heart Foundation on 01 6685001. Or talk in confidence to an Irish Heart Foundation nurse on the National Heart & Stroke Helpline 1890 432 787, Mon to Fri, 10am to 5pm. www.irishheart.ie
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