Heart Failure Awareness Week puts Tasmanian cardiac health in the spotlight

Heart Failure Awareness Week, which runs from June 24 to 30, aims to bring attention to the condition which affects half a million Australians.

Hearts4heart chief executive Tanya Hall said heart disease was more prevalent in Tasmania than anywhere else in the country - and was the state's biggest single cause of death.

"I always believe we can be doing more to educate and drive awareness into heart failure and cardiovascular disease, but we have come a long way," Ms Hall said.

"In remote parts of Australia, the impact of heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases is heightened."

She said there has been greater collaboration and partnership with health care providers to increase care in regional areas across state and federal governments.

"We want to see a more connected healthcare system, that puts patient access to cardiac monitoring at the heart, particularly for those everyday Australians living with heart disease in rural and regional areas," Ms Hall said.

In May the state government announced a $120 million specialist cardiac centre would open at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) by 2029.

Once complete, the Northern Heart Centre will act as the primary cardiology referral centre in the state's North.

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons for admission at the LGH, North West Regional Hospital and the Mersey Hospital.

Cardiac Tasmania Network chair Paul MacIntyre previously told The Examiner one of the biggest barriers to care was distance.

"I think that patients in Tasmania don't like to travel too far but sometimes they have to," Dr MacIntyre said.

Ms Hall encouraged Australians to get a heart health check this week.

"This year, we're focusing on heart failure co-morbidities, and raising awareness of the importance of managing conditions associated with heart failure," Ms Hall said.

"Learning about co-morbidities such as kidney disease and Type II diabetes and how to manage them through early detection and management can reduce the risk of serious complications such as heart failure, heart attacks, strokes, and death."