Experts at York University have revealed that fewer than a third of heart attack victims are receiving the vital treatment they need to recover.

The British Heart Foundation Rehabilitation Research Unit, directed by Professor Bob Lewin, said that only about 50,000 of the 150,000 annual survivors are receiving cardiac rehabilitation which is composed of programmes designed to enable sufferers to lead normal lives.

Treatment can involve anything from exercise to counselling, with the life chances and improvement of heart attack sufferers being substantially improved.

Research carried out by the unit has also found that attending programmes can reduce early death by 25 per cent. This is as great a saving as that from drugs such as beta blockers which have been hailed for their contribution to medicine.

The elderly, women, ethnic minorities and those living in rural locations are less likely to receive it. Reasons range from cash shortages, people not wanting to return to the hospital, women not feeling comfortable in group sessions and those who simply cannot be bothered with the journey.

Gill Furze, a research fellow of the Unit said: "It is unfortunate because these are the people who could be helped the most."

An innovative scheme to solve the problem of treatment access is currently operating in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The Heart Manual, developed by the university research unit and East Riding Health Authority, is a low cost, home-based self-help rehabilitation programme, introduced to patients before they leave hospital.

Once home they are visited by specialist community nurses who help them to work through it.

Mrs Furze said: "A lot of people have ideas about what they should do after a heart attack which are often wrong. For instance to remain inactive after an attack could do more harm than good. It should be worked through properly."

It is hoped the Heart Manual scheme will be taken on board by the Government which is introducing a National Service Framework for coronary heart disease. It is in contention with three other programmes currently operating in the country.

To prepare for this the Department of Health Studies at the University of York is hosting a conference on April 4 that will help those in the NHS bring cardiac rehabilitation to all.

For conference information contact Jenny Walker 01904 434127.

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