International Men’s Health Week 2021- it’s never too late to look after your heart

Today (Monday 14^th of June) marks the beginning of International Men’s Health Week 2021.

International Men’s Health Week always commences on the Monday before Father’s Day and ends on Father’s Day itself which this year falls on Sunday the 20^th of June.  The week, which is celebrated in numerous countries worldwide, aims to increase awareness of preventable health problems for men of all ages, support men and boys to engage in healthy lifestyle choices and to encourage the early detection and treatment of health difficulties in males.

The theme for International Men’s Health Week 2021 is ‘Making the Connections,’ and everyone is being asked to ‘check in, check-up and check it out as we continue to overcome the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

If you haven’t done so recently then now is a good time to think about your heart health and get it checked.

The latest data from the CSO released last month shows that 999 men died as a result of a heart attack last year.

The data also revealed that 4,612 men died from cardiovascular disease in 2020, of these 2,582 lost their lives to ischaemic heart disease while 698 men died from “other heart diseases”.

Ischaemic or coronary heart disease occurs when the coronary arteries become narrowed due to a build-up of fatty material and this restricts the flow of oxygen rich blood to the heart.

A total of 685 men lost their lives to cerebrovascular disease or stroke in 2020 and 647 men died from “other diseases of the circulatory system”

Janis Morrissey, Director of Health Promotion Information and Training at the Irish Heart Foundation said, “The good news is that 80 per cent of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable and there are a number of things men can do to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. These include, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake, getting their blood pressure and cholesterol checked, eating a healthy diet, being a healthy weight and being physically active.”

For more information on heart health and ways to keep your heart healthy please see here

If you have any concerns about your health please contact your GP

It is never too late to start looking after your heart

International Men’s Health Week on the island of Ireland is coordinated by the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) and funded by the HSE and the Public Health Agency.