The Menzies Research Institute will commence a world-first study into the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) next year, after receiving a $128,000 grant from the Heart Foundation.

The Menzies Research Institute will commence a world-first study into the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) next year, after receiving a $128,000 grant from the Heart Foundation.

Heart Foundation Tasmania Chief Executive Officer Graeme Lynch says that CVD continues to be the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for 34 per cent of all deaths in 2006. [1]

"And, it's surprising to many that more women die from the disease each year than men, with more than 24,500 women dying each year in Australia," Mr Lynch said.

One in five Australians is affected and one Australian dies nearly every ten minutes as a result of CVD.  It is predicted that heart disease will be the third leading cause of burden of disease globally by 2030.

Mr Lynch says by 2051 here at home it is estimated that more than 134,000 Tasmanians will be living with the disease (26 per cent of the population).

"Financially CVD is also a burden, with the total cost of the disease in Tasmania in 2004 estimated as $322 million, comprising $155 million of the health system costs and $167 million of other costs.

"CVD has high morbidity, mortality and economic costs to our society and much of the disease burden arises from preventable causes, such as physical inactivity, poor nutrition and smoking," Mr Lynch said.

Menzies' Director, Professor Simon Foote says this world-first study will look into how providing patients in a general practice setting with personalised information about their risk of CVD may help them to improve their lifestyle and reduce their risk of suffering CVD in the future.

"General practitioners play a key role in chronic disease prevention in Australia and this study aims to improve outcomes by using a personalised approach to patient care," Professor Foote said.

Chief investigator, Dr Tania Winzenberg says this unique study will involve trained counsellors implementing individual follow-up sessions with at-risk patients to assist them to improve their diet and physical activity and to stop smoking.

"People may not realise how high their risk of cardiovascular disease is, or know what they need to change in order to reduce their risk.  This study will test whether providing personalised individual risk assessments and education and support can assist people to improve their lifestyle and reduce the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease," Dr Winzenberg said.

"It will also assess whether this approach is a feasible and cost-effective way to prevent cardiovascular disease in the general practice setting here in Tasmania."

[1] Access Economics PTY LTD, CVD Costs States and Territorities, 27 February 2006

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