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Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in Ireland and women are almost six times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than breast cancer. However, 80% of premature death from cardiovascular disease is preventable. Your local Careplus Pharmacy can help.

According to the Irish Heart Foundation, each year, almost 9,000 people in Ireland die from heart disease and stroke, leaving behind devastated families and communities. With GP appointments becoming more challenging to get, community pharmacies are a touchstone of towns and villages around Ireland – a reliable source of information and support for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Cardiovascular conditions pose a real threat to people across Ireland, and your local community pharmacist is well placed to support people living with these conditions and help educate others who may be at risk of developing them.

Pharmacist Laura O'Connor in Loughrea CarePlus Pharmacy says the pandemic has changed how people eat, sleep and exercise. She says: "We are definitely seeing an increase in the number of people presenting with cardiovascular issues. The typical image of a middle-aged man with a poor diet and low activity levels being at risk of heart disease is changing. Women need to understand the risks they face from cardiovascular disease, and their local CarePlus Pharmacy can help with that. In particular, we are seeing more people presenting with cardiovascular-related issues in the form of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. People's lives are even more hectic and stressful now, and most good intentions of eating healthy and staying active have become less of a priority. That, coupled with the backlogs experienced by GP's up and down the country, is creating a perfect storm."

Laura continues: "Issues surrounding cardiovascular health can remain hidden for a long time. A heart attack can happen without a person knowing it – it is called a "silent" heart attack. We want people to know that we are here, and we want to see you. We will continue to highlight the issue of heart health for women and get the message out that CarePlus Pharmacists and their teams can offer expert advice and regular checks on cardiac care”.

Find your nearest CarePlus Pharmacy at careplus.ie.