Put in the heart work for your cardio health

IT'S often said that a healthy heart is a happy heart.

- BY KEITH FALKINER

And now the World Heart Federation (WHF) is partnering with sports organisations, hospitals, universities, and businesses to urge people to commit to a month of exercise as part of the battle to tackle heart disease.

In Ireland, cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death, accounting for nearly 10,000 annually, with 9,000 caused by heart disease and stroke combined.

Meanwhile, an estimated 600,000 people live with a cardiovascular condition in this country.

With 2025 marking the 25th anniversary of World Heart Day, WHF is launching a global campaign called Don't Miss A Beat, raising awareness that cardiovascular disease is preventable.

WHF chief Finn-Jarle Rode warned that cardiovascular disease is particularly affecting low and middle-income countries, and said that governments need to create national plans to improve care.

CVD is the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming the lives of 20.5million people annually and accounting for more than 33 per cent of global deaths.

But up to 80% of early heart attacks and deaths from stroke are preventable.