PEOPLE living in Cairns are more likely to suffer a heart attack than anywhere else in Queensland.
The Heart Foundation has released new figures that point to the Far North as having the state’s highest number of people suffering cardiovascular disease.
More than 27 per cent of Cairns people have been assessed as being likely to suffer heart disease, about 6 per cent higher than the state and national average.
Cairns residents also top the list of Queenslanders assessed as being insufficiently active for health, with more than 75 per cent tipping the scales.
The statistics come amid calls for the Cairns Hospital and Hinterland Health Service to immediately expand the hospital’s catheter cardiac laboratory to a 24/7 facility.
Heart Foundation Queensland health director Rachelle Foreman said figures showed heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol were a statewide problem, but much higher in regional areas.
“What really concerns us is that many regions in Queensland have poor rates for both clinical and lifestyle risk factors,’’ she said.
“The more risk factors someone has, the greater their chances of having a heart attack, so these are heart attacks waiting to happen.”
The foundation said that if Cairns was at the state average for cardiovascular disease, there would be 8000 fewer people with the condition.
Evidence showed people who have three risk factors, such as being a smoker, not doing enough exercise and having high cholesterol, are twice as likely to have a heart attack, four times more likely to have angina and 40 per cent more likely to have a stroke.
“We need to treat this report like a crystal ball into the future,’’ Ms Foreman said.
“With the current numbers of Queenslanders who are obese, smoking and not being active, the future isn’t looking bright.
“Our lifestyles are letting us down and if we don’t take action to change they could well kill us.”
Queensland Health is in the process of recruiting two more staff in order to open Cairns Hospital’s cath lab 24/7.
The facility is at present staffed five days a week and shut on weekends.
There have been at least three patients over the past three weeks who have had to seek emergency surgery elsewhere, including Townsville Hospital, because the service has not been available.
Ms Foreman urged Far North Queenslanders to take simple steps to improve their lifespan, including having a heart health check to know blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
She said local governments also needed to support initiatives and environments to encourage a healthier lifestyle.
“We’ve seen some fantastic initiatives in regional areas, like cycle and walkways, that are helping people to get more active,’’ she said.
“This research shows just how important these actions are in helping us to create active, healthy communities – and prevent cardiovascular disease.”
Originally published as Heart attack capital of Queensland