Identifying and treating up to 70,000 more people in Wales who have high blood pressure will prevent more than 1,000 heart attacks and strokes, according to a new plan from Public Health Wales and its partners.

The plan, ‘Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Plan for Wales; An ABCD Plus Approach’ , which uses modelling data, will also save nearly £18m for the NHS and social care sector in Wales over three years.

Cardiovascular disease describes a range of conditions which affect the heart and blood vessels, which can lead to serious and life-threatening consequences like heart attacks and strokes. CVD causes 27 per cent of all deaths in Wales, as well as disabilities like paralysis, dementia and reduced mobility, and is a huge financial burden on society, costing the NHS in Wales £770 million a year.

CVD is also one of the largest contributors to health inequalities in Wales, with wide disparities in outcomes between socioeconomic groups. People in the most deprived areas are more likely to have a risk factor such as high blood pressure.

But it doesn’t have to be like this. As much as 80 per cent of early deaths from CVD are preventable, and small changes can create a much healthier way of life – like improving your diet, being more active, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol consumption. Spotting risk factors early in patients, offering risk-based advice for individuals, and prescribing statins and blood pressure reduction medication, will reduce the chances of developing potentially life-changing and life-threatening CVD conditions.

This ambition goes hand in hand with strengthening primary care in Wales, so more people can be supported to have their risk factors detected and treated early, helping them live healthier lives.

If around 70,000 more patients could have their blood pressure controlled, then it would avoid 419 heart attacks and 626 strokes.

Dr Amrita Jesurasa, Consultant in Public Health for Public Health Wales, said: “Our new prevention plan puts the person at the centre of their care, recognising that people are likely to have more than one cardiovascular risk. For example, if someone has high blood pressure, healthcare providers need to be able to take every opportunity to also manage the person’s cholesterol, their risk of developing diabetes, their weight, and support them to stop smoking as needed.

“CVD costs the overall Welsh economy up to £1.6billion every year in premature death, disability, and long-term care, so it’s in everyone’s interest to do everything we can to help people to live longer, healthier lives and reduce these costs to the economy.

“By preventing CVD we will also make big strides in reducing health inequalities in Wales as well, as the prevalence of CVD is significantly higher in the most deprived areas, and causes more severe outcomes including hospitalisations and fatalities.

“It’s an opportunity that can’t be missed.”