CORONARY HEART DISEASE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Reducing morbidity and mortality related to coronary heart disease is a priority for Federal and State governments. Analysis of epidemiological data for residents of South Western Sydney indicates that coronary heart disease is a significant cause of hospitalisation and death. Thus coronary heart disease is justifiably a priority for South Western Sydney also.

Research has established a number of modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease. These are: cigarette smoking, elevated blood cholesterol and triglycerides, hypertension, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes and obesity. Results from the NSW and South Western Sydney Area Health Service (SWSAHS) Health Promotion Surveys (1994/95) indicate that, on average, residents in South Western Sydney are at a slightly to moderately higher risk of coronary heart disease when compared to NSW. However, there are significant differences at sector level, with the residents of Liverpool and Campbelltown at greater risk.

In 1994/95, over 5700 South Western Sydney residents were admitted to hospital for coronary heart disease. Twice as many men were admitted as women, and on average admissions were 13 per cent (female) to 20 per cent (male) higher than NSW residents as a whole.

Coronary heart disease was the cause of death for over 900 South Western Sydney residents in 1994 (512 males and 425 females). Analysis of mortality trends indicates a decline of over 4.5 per cent annually in deaths from coronary heart disease. This trend corresponds to that for NSW - over the twenty year period 1971 to 1992 there was almost a 50 per cent decline in mortality from coronary heart disease. This decrease in deaths due to CHD is the result of a combination of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation activities.

South Western Sydney Area Health Service offers a range of services to prevent coronary heart disease, treat residents who are admitted to hospital for coronary heart disease and aid in rehabilitation.

The Coronary Heart Disease Working Party, formed to develop this Plan, identified a number of additional strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease is one of a number of priorities identified by South Western Sydney Area Health Service. With the existing underfunding of services in South Western Sydney compared with other Areas, increased funding is expected to be allocated. Decisions have to be made as to which priority area receives funding, and which services addressing that priority.

The Plan identifies four major goals:

Prevention goal: Improve cardiovascular health by reducing coronary heart disease and its impact on the population

Treatment goal: Increase long term survival and quality of life of people with coronary heart disease

Rehabilitation goal: Increase long term survival of people with coronary heart disease and optimise their physical, social and functional recovery

Planning goal: Establish a framework to guide resource allocation

Central to the implementation of the fourth goal will be the attempt to assess where the greatest health gains can be made for money spent.

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