Rise in number of Irish people facing heart failure
The number of people developing heart failure in Ireland is on the rise.
The Irish Heart Foundation says there has been an increase in the number of cases due to an ageing population, obesity and poor lifestyle.
Around 90,000 people in Ireland live with heart failure, but the group says thousands of people are at risk of missing fatal symptoms.
Today is heart failure awareness day.
Consultant cardiologist at St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin Professor Kenneth McDonald said: "Heart failure is a very prevalent problem in Ireland. There are approximately 100,000 people with this condition."
"It occurs as a result of many other heart conditions such as heart attacks, for example, or long-standing high blood pressure.
"What people become aware of is increasing breathlessness with activity, or fatigue."
