This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Heart disease and stroke mortality continues to fall
31/10/2006
The latest mortality rate figures for heart disease and stroke show progress being made in targeting killer diseases.
Figures for 2005 include (all figures standardised rates per 100,000 population):
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) mortality rates fell by 5.2 per cent between 2004 and 2005: from 139.4 to 132.1
- The under 75 CHD mortality rate fell by 4 per cent: from 70.3 to 67.5
- Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD, which includes Stroke) mortality rates fell by 8.4 per cent: from 74.2 to 68
- The under 75 CVD mortality rate fell by 8.4 per cent: from 22.5 to 20.6
At the Physical Activity and Health Alliance conference in Edinburgh, Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"Fewer Scots are dying from heart disease and stroke, services have improved and treatment is quicker.
"We have invested £40 million in our CHD and Stroke strategy - this has helped to deliver a rapid access chest pain clinic in each NHS Board and a dedicated Stroke Unit in every mainland Board.
"And we are firmly on track to meet our tough targets to halve premature stroke deaths and cut premature heart deaths by nearly two thirds.
"Major challenges remain, particularly in tackling health inequalities. Despite big improvements, those in the most deprived areas are still far more likely to die than those in the least deprived. That's why preventative care aimed at communities with the greatest health needs is so necessary. The Keep Well pilot programme, launched last week by Lewis Macdonald, will play an important part in closing the gap.
"Lifestyle is of course a contributory factor to fatal diseases. So as well as investing in the right care and treatment, we need to help people in helping themselves to lead healthier lives so there is less chance of them becoming ill. Stopping smoking, improving diet and increasing levels of physical activity are at the heart of health improvement."
The targets set out in the Executive's CHD/Stroke strategy (2002) are:
- to achieve a 60 per cent reduction in the under 75 CHD mortality rate between 1995 and 2010: from 124.6 to 49.8 deaths per 100,000
- to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in the under 75 CVD mortality rate over the same period: from 37.5 to 18.8
An additional target set in 2004 is to reduce the under 75 CHD mortality rate in deprived areas by 27 per cent from 2003 to 2008: from 112 to 81.7. The rate for 2005 is 97.8 - a decrease of 12.7 per cent from 2003
The Physical Activity and Health Alliance conference organised by NHS Health Scotland brought together participants from a wide range of sectors who are involved in delivering the Executive's physical activity strategy Let's Make Scotland More Active.