Our advocacy aims are developed around these high level goals.

1. Reduction by 1% per year in CVD mortality per 100,000 population.

2. To reduce death and disability among those who have suffered a stroke.

3. To bring a halt to increasing levels of obesity in the Irish population.

4. Ensure provision of optimum care and management for heart failure patients.

Stroke

In 2009, the Irish Heart Foundation launched a 4-year advocacy campaign for better stroke services in Ireland. The Irish Heart Foundation understands that providing a high quality of national stroke services, co-ordinating prevention, hospital and community care would be cost neutral, or could even save the State money. The campaign strives to increase public and political awareness of stroke and the need for improved services. 

The campaign also provides information about strokes to patients and their families; assist in the development of nationwide network of support groups for stroke patients; and support the development of a Stroke Register.

The Irish Heart Foundation is asking people to join this campaign urging the Government to implement the measures that will eliminate avoidable death and disability from stroke. These measures are contained in the Irish Heart Foundation’s Stroke Manifesto.

Read more about the campaign on our Stroke Action website.

Heart Failure

There is an evolving heart failure crisis in Ireland, currently affecting up to 80,000 people. Because of population growth, longevity and disease prevalence the number of Irish people affected by heart failure is set to dramatically increase in the next decade.
  
The recommendations for heart failure within the Cardiovascular Disease Policy, 2010 are underlined by a desire to shift the centre of heart failure care from the hospital to the community setting. The policy proposes the development of an integrated community-based approach to heart failure management, led by primary care teams.   These recommendations are supported by the Irish Heart Foundation Council on Heart Failure.

Smoking

Smoking is the chief preventable cause of death and chronic disability in Ireland. Reducing smoking rates in Ireland and supporting people to stop smoking must be a key focus of health policy.  The Irish Heart Foundation believes that a three pronged approach is required to tackle smoking prevalence – price increases for tobacco products, stronger smuggling controls and comprehensive smoking cessation programmes. These actions will only have the desired effect if introduced simultaneously.

Obesity

The Irish Heart Foundation advocates bringing a halt to increasing levels of obesity in the Irish population. This can be achieved by addressing areas such as the marketing of unhealthy foods to children; labeling for food products that identify products high in fat, sugar, salt; increasing levels of physical activity and reducing salt consumption.

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Prevention has always been the core of the work of the Irish Heart Foundation. The Institute of Public Health estimates that the number of Irish adults with CVD (hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes) will increase by around 40% by 2020.   Therefore, reduction in the risk factors for cardiovascular disease through a structured CVD prevention programme at primary level needs to be prioritised by the Government.   The Irish Heart Foundation advocates for the roll out of the Guidelines on the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Clinical Practice at a primary care level.