Bexhill and Battle MP supports CVD campaign

A campaign to keep one of the UK's most deadly diseases a top government priority is being supported by the Bexhill and Battle MP.
Bexhill and Battle MP Huw Merriman at HEART UK's launch of its plan to tackle cardiovascular diseaseBexhill and Battle MP Huw Merriman at HEART UK's launch of its plan to tackle cardiovascular disease
Bexhill and Battle MP Huw Merriman at HEART UK's launch of its plan to tackle cardiovascular disease

Huw Merriman attended the official launch of the plan at the House of Commons to tackle cardiovascular disease (CVD) in partnership with cholesterol charity HEART UK.

Despite progress in some areas of CVD management over the past 20 years, there are still around 160,000 deaths every year in the UK and about 175,000 heart attacks, so it is more important than ever that CVD remains high on the UK health agenda.

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“I wholeheartedly endorse HEART UK’s attempts to ensure that everyone knows their cholesterol and that the government does all it can to ensure that patients at high risk of CVD are identified, managed and cared for in the best possible way,” Mr Merriman said.

“Cholesterol testing is simple, quick and painless and I would urge all adults to get themselves tested. I am committed to working with the local NHS and in Parliament to ensure that heart disease services are well-coordinated and remain a public health priority nationally and in the Bexhill and Battle constituency.”

The policy priorities set out in HEART UK’s cholesterol plan for new government calls for: maintaining the Health Checks programme which tests patient’s cholesterol, blood pressure and BMI; increasing in the diagnosis of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients from 15 per cent to 50 per cent by 2020; and ensuring all patients have equal access to CVD diagnosis, prevention and support services on the NHS.

HEART UK chief executive Jules Payne thanked Mr Merriman for his support and said there is still a lot of work to do both at local and national levels to ensure knowledge of different lipid conditions is understood by adults in the UK.

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