November 21, 2012
More must be done to keep heart patients warm in their
homes
Cold homes which damage people’s health could be costing
the NHS more than a billion pounds every year, according to a new
report.
Age UK has today published its The
Cost of Cold report to warn of the danger to public health
posed by cold-related illnesses triggered by cold homes. The report
notes there are around 27,000 excess winter deaths, most of them
among older people and caused by heart attacks, stroke and
respiratory problems.
The charity says the problem is costing the
NHS in England £13.6 billion each year.
It’s very important people keep warm in their homes if they’re to stay healthy
Maureen Talbot, our
Senior Cardiac Nurse, said: “Each winter, plummeting temperatures
signal
a difficult time for people living with
heart disease in this country.
“Cold weather can increase heart rate
and blood pressure as your body tries to keep itself warm.
The chances of a blood clot also increase as the blood becomes more
sticky, which is why more people die from a
heart attack or stroke during
winter.
“It’s very important people keep warm
in their homes if they’re to stay healthy when the cold
weather bites, especially those with heart disease.
“Heart patients have told us first-hand about
the financial, emotional and health problems they face when they
get into difficulty paying their winter fuel
bills. The Department of Health and Department of Work and
Pensions need to explore how best to use the benefits system to
help people stay warm.”