Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the underlying cause of 85% of heart and stroke-related deaths, however 60% of people over the age of 45 in Ireland have never even heard of the condition, new research has shown.

ASCVD is an umbrella term used to describe a number of cardiovascular diseases that are caused by a buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in the lining of arterial walls, resulting in blocked arteries.

Many people do not experience significant symptoms until this plaque unexpectedly ruptures causing a heart attack, stroke or death. For this reason, ASCVD is often considered a silent disease.

The heart and stroke charity, Croí, recently carried out a survey of adults about ASCVD. It found that 60% of those over the age of 45 have never heard of the term ASCVD, while 83% do not associate high cholesterol with risks to heart health.

“ASCVD is the underlying cause of 85% of heart and stroke-related deaths, so it is worrying that most over-45s in Ireland do not know about this risk factor. This means that there is a large ‘invisible’ cohort of the population who are not focused on reducing their chances of a heart attack or stroke,” commented Croí chairperson, Neil Johnson.

He noted that ASCVD places a significant health and economic burden on society and called for the condition to be put “higher on the political and health agenda in order to have a positive impact on public health in Ireland and globally”.

Meanwhile, according to Dr Paddy Barrett, a preventive cardiologist at the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin, heart disease is likely to be the cause of death for one in three adults.

“Some 80% of these deaths are preventable by focusing on better risk factor control. We need to do better at identifying and managing these risk factors early in life,” he said.

The Croí survey involved 1,070 adults aged 45 and older and was carried out in March and April of this year. Its results were released to coincide with the launch of a new worldwide movement – Invisible Nation – which aims to reduce the number of preventable deaths caused by ASCVD.

Invisible Nation will bring together a worldwide network of patient organisations and other stakeholders, which are committed to effecting systemic change in the management of ASCVD. This will be done under the auspices of the Global Heart Hub, which Mr Johnson founded and is currently executive director of.

The Global Heart Hub is the first global non-profit organisation established to provide a voice for those affected by cardiovascular disease. It is an alliance of heart patient organisations which aim to create a unified global voice for those living with or affected by heart disease. For more information on the Global Heart Hub, click here. For more information on Invisible Nation, click here.