Asian populations have higher levels of heart disease (From Asian Image)

Asian populations have higher levels of heart disease

8:30am Thursday 7th July 2011 in United Kingdom news By Asian Image reporter

Areas with higher Asian populations have higher levels of coronary heart disease.

A new campaign, launched today by MSD and HEART UK at the cholesterol charity’s annual conference, highlights a wide geographical variation in the risk of dying from coronary heart disease (CHD) across England, particularly in London and The Midlands – areas known for their large South Asian population.

The latest data shows that Leicester City, Nottingham City, Heart of Birmingham, Sandwell and Birmingham East And North show the highest rates of coronary heart disease(CHD) mortality in the Midlands.

Leicester has the highest CHD mortality rate in the Midlands and Warwickshire the lowest (121.00 vs 67.00 people per 100,000).

There are also wide variations in London where a person is three times more likely to die of CHD in Islington (114.12 people per 100,000) compared to Kensington & Chelsea (36.91 people per 100,000) or more than twice as likely compared to Westminster (46.76 people per 100,000) which have the lowest rates of CHD mortality in the capital.

The Heart Hotspots campaign aims to raise awareness of the inequalities in CHD across England and empower patients to take an active role in looking after their heart health.

Dr Kiran Patel, Consultant Cardiologist at Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust and Chair of the South Asian Health Foundation, said, “In the South Asian population, premature death rates from coronary heart disease related heart attacks are around twice as high compared to the general population.

"As such, we welcome any initiative which can help raise awareness among South Asian communities in relation to coronary heart disease risk factors.

"In addition to support from healthcare professionals, we hope that through the campaign patients will be empowered to take a proactive role in managing their heart health.”

Jules Payne, Chief Executive of HEART UK, says: “No matter where you live or what ethnic origin you are, reducing a diet high in fat, tackling obesity, stopping smoking, and increasing exercise can all make a difference. Those already diagnosed with heart problems or with immediate family members who had heart disease at a young age should also take a proactive approach towards their health with the support of their health care professional.

"These steps can include knowing your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers, knowing your weight and waist circumference, and going for regular check-ups".

For more information on heart disease including prevention measures, visit www.heartuk.org.uk or if you have any concernsn speak to a healthcare professional.