The Wee County has the eighth highest premature heart disease death rate in Scotland, new statistics have revealed.

The figures released by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) show that 109.2 people out of every 100,000 under the age of 75 living in Clackmannanshire prematurely die from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

A 2010/12 UK-wide survey found that Scotland’s death rate was dramatically high, with Glasgow having the highest premature CVD death rate followed by Dundee and Inverclyde.

A person living in Glasgow with CVD was four times as likely to die than someone living in Hart, Hampshire.

The BHF aims to tackle heart disease by preventing CVD from developing in the first place – reducing early deaths related to heart disease by 25 per cent by 2025.

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive of the BHF said, “These figures are a stark reminder of the unacceptable number of people that lose their lives to cardiovascular disease every year, often increased by the place they live. There is still so much more we need to do.

“We’ve made huge progress in the fight against cardiovascular disease, with 70 per cent of heart attack victims now surviving to go home to their families. With the help of our supporters, we’ll increase investment and accelerate our world-class research that could save the lives of more people who die prematurely.” The statistics come as no surprise to Catherine Mondoa, a consultant cardiac nurse at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert.

She said, “Everybody that comes in with a heart attack or a bypass, we actively seek out within the hospital, they are not self-selecting. What happens along the way is they make various choices.

“Some people don’t make such good choices for themselves. But they all have the same chance at that stage to participate in the services. Sometimes life gets in the way, they have other issues going on, mental health issues, things like that. I guess our colleagues in primary care have the same challenges.” Catherine is also honorary president of the Stirling Royal Infirmary Healthy Hearts Club, a self-help group based in the Forth Valley dedicated to changing lifestyles and battling cardiovascular disease.

The Healthy Hearts Club was originally set up at the Stirling hospital in 1996 by Catherine and Dr Alan Bridges and is now based between the Forth Valley Royal Hospital and the Peak sports centre in Stirling.

She continued, “Part of the reason that we moved into a sports centre is that people don’t necessarily like hospitals. The Peak is more of a community based facility.

“There is certainly a lot around the Forth Valley should people want to take up some health-promoting activity, but it’s that initial engagement. Seeing people in hospital can be a good catalyst, we can catch them at quite a vulnerable time, and if you can engage them at that stage you can see them through. There’s a lot of people who don’t really take the opportunity for whatever reason.” Liz Morrison, who works with Healthy Hearts at the Peak, said, “Its a very active group. It addresses anything in life. We all get into habits; smoking, drinking... drugs actually. We help people address that.

“The thing I like about Healthy Hearts is that it doesn’t matter what your background is. You can be rich, you can be poor, it is irrelevant. It is for everyone.” The Peak, run by Active Stirling, lets the Healthy Hearts Club take advantage of the sports centre’s facilities. As a result, members can get involved in activities like swimming, badminton, volleyball and pilates.

Liz said, “The results have been fantastic. It helps people with depression, weight loss, building up self-esteem. There’s lots that goes on under the umbrella of the Healthy Hearts.” Case Study: Dick Clark After open-heart surgery 19 years ago, Clackmannan resident Dick Clark has proved himself a seasoned member of the Healthy Hearts Club.

He remembers how he was in the Coronary Care Unit when Catherine Mondoa, honorary president of the Healthy Hearts Club, first came to Stirling Royal Infirmary as a cardiac nurse.

His continued association with Dr Allan Bridges and Catherine meant that he was present during the genesis of the club.

Father-of-two Dick remembers the original cardiac rehabilitation exercise classes that became central to the Healthy Hearts Club.

He said, “They used to meet at the recreation hall in the Infirmary. They used to have cardiology patients and others and despite the fact that I was bodily healthy, it was quite useful. It got me on my feet umpteen times.

“Cardiology patients were encouraged to have exercise. For me that wasn’t an unusual thing, being an outdoor person, but for 90 per cent of folks, that was probably quite alien. Plus, I didn’t smoke and I didn’t drink hence there is a genetic problem in my family.” Dick’s immediate family have had their own heart problems.

His wife died from a sudden heart attack 16 years ago and his daughter suffers from the same genetic heart problems.

Dick still regularly attends classes at the Peak with the Healthy Hearts Club, as well as exercising on his own.

He said, “I go on a Thursday afternoon, just for the usual exercises. I also go four days a week to the gym at the peak because I do believe that you really do have to help yourself.” However, Dick doesn’t just take advantage of the opportunities Healthy Hearts lay on.

Two years ago, he went on a zip wire 150 feet above the River Clyde to raise money for the Healthy Hearts Club and the Cardiac Rehab Unit of Forth Valley Royal Hospital. He said, “I would do literally just about anything for charity.”