Killer Cwe

must

arrest at

once'

  WANTED: Information leading to the arrest
of public enemy No l-coronary heart disease,
the greatest killer in New Zealand history.
REWARD: A longer, healthier life.
Dr D. S. Frederickson, who ings,   New Zealand rates
has some of the answers, fourth behind Finland, Scot-
arrived in Christchurch from land and the United States-
the United States yesterday to and the problem is increasing.
continue his inquiries.  As Factors contributing to this
inaugural lecturer for the in order of importance are
National Heart Foundation of high blood pressure, high
New Zealand, he hones to blood cholesterol and other
allow the public to claim the fats, cigarette smoking and
reward.              diabetes.
But the people's co-opera-
tion is essential.
"We know a lot about  TOO MUCH.

coronary heart disease already.
but there is a lot more to be  "Too much blood cholesterol,
learned about what has to be a fatty Produft manufac@@
done to defeat it," Dr Fred- &,{i: b~~b~$~&&a 2:
erickson said.
,,The answer Is to ge+, ideal $oportion of cholesterol
cracking   with        to blood but it is probably
      preventione something like 15Om of chol-
nanwlanb and ~Wwa~ bloat- esterol to looml of bid," he
ment will never he an answer   .
Ef,$g ~~a~~$~$~ Sa%he average New Zealand-
              er has a proportion of about
time to take a look at the 230 mg to 1oo ml of blood ,I
chronic variety."
In world heart disease rank-  Dr Frederickson advocates
              more closely supervised diets
              and regular exercise as two
                of the main means of com-
              bating heart disease.
               Exercise does not necessarily
              thwart coronary trouble, but
              it does give the person who
                has it more chance of surviv-
              ing the eventual cardiac arrest,
               he says.

"So while you are waiting
for your first heart atttack, it
would be wise to get yourself
in the beat possible physical
shape,," he advised.
Stahstics had proved that
the person who smoked a
packet of cigarettes a day had1
a 70 per cent greater likeli-
hood of having a premature
heart attack than the non-
smoker.


"The number of people who
have heart attacks which are
related to smoking is much
greater than those who suffer,
from lung cancer," said Dr'
Frederickson,  who himself
smokes a pipe.
"The problem today is that
we are not exactly sure what
we want everyone to do. While
that is being found out, special
attention is being paid to those
with high risks."
He said more intensive
screening for such risks was
needed. It was essential that
everyone between 25 and 30
had one cholest&ol and blood
fat test.
If abnormal, there were
things which could be done to
carrect this - especially diet
control and drugs.
Heart disease killed more
people before the age of 65
than any other factor - it had
to be stopped early, DI: Fred-
erickson said.
    REPORT, PAGR 14.