PEOPLE in Cork have been urged to take small steps to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

The plea comes from the Irish Heart Foundation, who is rolling out its ‘Love Your Heart’ campaign this September. It focuses on eight lifestyle measures that can help lower the risk of early heart disease and strokes.

They include managing stress, eating for a healthy heart, moving more, quitting smoking and vaping, monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, aiming for your best weight, drinking less alcohol and taking your prescribed medication.

Figures show that in Cork alone, there are an estimated 67,000 heart and stroke patients, while nationally around 16 people have a heart attack every day, with a further 20 suffering a stroke.

‘A total of 75% of people who had heart attacks in Ireland between 2017 and 2020 did not know they had any risk factors, so were completely oblivious to the dangers,’ said Janis Morrissey, Deputy CEO and Director of Services at the charity.

Acknowledging that heart health is influenced by factors outside of individual choice, she still urges the public to make small changes where possible, claiming it has a ‘massive return on your future heart health’.