A vital affair of the heart

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 11, 12 August 1986, Page 5

A vital affair of the heart

In our hectic, fastmoving lives, the basics of health are often overlooked. Paths to health such as fresh air, exercise and wholesome food, are sometimes compromised through ignorance or haste. Maryanne Burrell, a health officer for the New Zealand Heart Foundation, travels the lower half of the North Island, lecturing to school pupils on the effects ,of lifestyle on the body, particularly the heart. M iss Burrell trained for three years in Wellington and has also travelled extensively overseas, working in the field of coronary care. She spoke to the pupils of Ruapehu College last week on the dangers of smoking, over-eating, and lack of exercise, and stressed that all of these factors can contribute to an unhealthy heart or heart attack.

Miss Burrell aims her lectures at the college-aged person, because it is at the age of 13 to 19 that habits for later life are formed. New Zealand has a particularly high rate of heart attacks in comparison to other countries, the condition being especially evident in New Zealand males. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in New Zealand. Miss Burrell described the situation as "the great New Zealand male - a dying race from coronary heart disease." Cigarette smoking has been proven to be a major cause of heart disease and pupils were warned to avoid that habit. Miss Burrell illustrated her lecture with a film depicting ways to avoid a heart attack, by looking at lifestyle.

Pupils were advised that obesity, stress, smoking and inactivity all contribute to high blood pressure that could lead to a heart attack. Miss Burrell also demonstrated the technique of CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the case when the victim of a heart

attack is unconscious or their heart has stopped beating. CPR is an invaluable skill, but requires constant revision. If administered correctly, CPR can decrease the possibility of heart attack victims dying from their condition.