Mr. Tim Collins:

The first thing is awareness. Heart disease has almost been considered a male disease. Most women are not aware of the idea that women have heart disease. However, post-menopause, women are as at risk from heart disease as men, if not more so. It is a serious cause of death and disability in women post-menopause. We need to make people aware so that women are more aware and ensure they get themselves checked and that their blood pressure is normal. We also need to get the wider health system to take it seriously as an issue. The chronic disease management programme in general practice will help us there, but we need to put a much greater emphasis on awareness at all levels both within the health services and with women generally.