
4 out of 10 men in the UK suffer from heart disease and women after the menopause are becoming prone at the same rate. It is now thought that 3.5 million men and 3.5 million women are living with cardiovascular disease in the UK. Around 42,000 people under the age of 75 die from cardiovascular disease each year in the UK; one of the highest in Europe. However, with awareness of better diets, how to avoid stress and understanding the benefits of exercise, survival rates of people with Cardiovascular disease are rising.
If you are having heart trouble or are going through a cardiac event it can be very distressing and confusing. You can feel low and find it challenging to cope with having to change your lifestyle. Often, when you've seen your GP or cardiac specialist, you forget to ask a specific question or you don't grasp the meaning of something as everything is a bit bewildering. There are times when you question how things are going to be afterwards and whether you will be able to get back to ‘normal’.
These queries and doubts can be eased by coming to our Cardiac Support Group meetings. These are informal and are simply a group of heart patients, getting together to chat, share experiences and ask questions. There is a talk from a different specialist each month. This year's list can be found on our Meetings page.
The Croydon Cardiac Support Group was started in 1988 by ex-heart patient Gordon Beale along with Croydon University Hospital cardiologists at the time. What a benefit it has been to so many of us over the past years and we hope to support many more!