Listen to your heart – before it’s too late

Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, the number of heart attack patients seeking urgent hospital care across Europe has dropped by more than half – only in Ireland, it appears the situation is even worse.

A recent survey by the Irish Cardiac Society revealed that cardiac admissions have declined in almost every location, with some hospitals reporting a decrease of up to 80%.

Yet heart disease remains the most common cause of death in Ireland. Around 10,000 people die in Ireland from cardiovascular disease each year, accounting for over a third of all deaths.

The Galway-based heart and stroke charity Croí founded the Global Heart Hub to create an international alliance of heart patient organisations to work together on common issues and challenges.

In response to Covid-19, GHH has this week launched an international campaign led in Ireland by Croí which is using the slogan: ‘When your heart says so…Just Go’.

Margaret Keady – widow of Galway hurling legend Tony – had been suffering a pain in her chest for a while and was beginning to get worried; at night time when she put her head down she felt her heart was racing and then the pain would come.

There was a history of heart disease on her mother’s side. Her aunt and her first cousin had succumbed to heart attacks in their forties.

She was sent for an angiogram and was called to the Bons Secours Hospital as a public patient to undergo the procedure. This test uses dye and x-ray to see if the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart are flowing freely.

“The care I got was unbelievable. It’s four weeks ago and I got the all-clear. I was so glad I got it checked out because if there was something wrong they assured me they would fix it – if there was a narrowing they would put in stents.”

Margaret admits she felt worried about going into the hospital during the pandemic.

“To be honest this was worrying me more than Covid. I heard about a lady the same age as myself who had two attacks and seriously damaged her heart by not going in.”

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