Heart disease biggest cause of death

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33034, 29 September 1972, Page 14

Heart disease biggest cause of death

Diseases of the heart caused more than 50 per cent of deaths in the community, and of the four main groups of heart disease hypertension, or high blood pressure, was present in about 25 per cent of adults, a Wellington cardiologist, Dr G. P. Hallwright, told the Canterbury Travel Club yesterday. Dr Hallwright is a member of the National Heart Foundation, which organised Heart Week this week. Hypertension is the main theme. The cause of hypertension was complex, but one known fact was that there was a tendency for it to be in-

herited, said Dr Hallwright. This meant that if there was a history of hypertension in the family a person should have a medical check.

The effect of hypertension was damage to the arteries over a period of years which eventually could cause heart trouble, strokes, and occasionally kidney trouble.

There were no symptoms in the early stages — it was detectable only by a medical check. If a person fainted, felt giddy, or had a high colour he did not necessarily have hypertension. "The message from this is that it is very important for people to have checks, particularly men, who are twice as susceptible to hypertension as are women,” said Dr Hallwright. Once there was any indication that the blood pressure was rising a person should continue to nave regular checks. There was no cure for hypertension, but it could be suppressed by one of about 30 drugs now available for this purpose. Therefore it was important that treatment should be accepted as a means of prolonging life and not as something to be feared.