Today’s Go Red for Women Day is a great opportunity to highlight the risk to women of heart disease, Senator Helen Polley said today.

The National Heart Foundation runs the day annually as an awareness campaign and asks people to wear red clothing and be aware of the importance of heart health.

“People across Northern Tasmania are getting behind the Go Red for Women Day and supporting the Heart Foundation’s campaign to raise vital funds for research and education into women’s coronary heart disease,” Senator Polley said.

“Many women are not aware that cardiovascular disease – such as heart attacks, stroke and heart failure – kills more Australian women than any other condition.

“Of all the women who died in Australia in 2006, more than a third of them died as a result of cardiovascular disease.

“That’s why it’s important that we all improve our heart health – including quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol and unhealthy foods.”

More than 9 out of 10 women have at least one preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, such as not getting enough exercise, not eating a healthy diet, smoking or drinking too much alcohol.

“Smoking is a leading cause of heart disease, which is why the Rudd Government is encouraging the 15 per cent of Australian women who smoke every day to call it quits.”

“We have a comprehensive package for reducing smoking rates, including plain packaging for cigarettes, hard hitting advertising campaigns, increasing support for Quitline and support through the PBS for drugs to help people quit.”

“We are also increasing the price of cigarettes and putting every cent of revenue raised from cigarettes into the National Health and Hospitals Network fund – boosting our health and hospitals services.”

For more information about heart disease and the Go Red for Women campaign, see http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/sites/goredforwomen or call the Heart Foundation’s heart health information line on 1300 362 787.