Ulster fry contributing to heart disease in Northern Ireland

The number of people dying from heart disease in Northern Ireland is double the rate of that in southern parts of England and this in part is due to the Ulster fry, according to a senior British heart expert.

The popularity of the North's so-called "heart attack on a plate", along with other foods containing saturated fats, was a factor behind the relatively high heart disease rate, said Prof Jeremy Pearson of the British Heart Foundation.

He was speaking as figures from the foundation show that deaths from heart disease in the North have more than halved in the past 30 years, but nonetheless the number of people dying from heart attacks is significantly higher compared to the southeast of England.

While people love the Ulster fry, generally consisting of rashers, eggs, sausages, soda bread, potato bread and tomatoes – and, additionally and occasionally, mushrooms, pancakes and beans – he made clear it carries a health warning.

"The premature death rate from heart disease in Northern Ireland compared to the sunny southeast of England is at least double, which is a substantial difference, and diet and saturated fats certainly contribute to that figure," said Prof Pearson, assistant medical director of the foundation.

Heart disease
The British charity's latest figures from 2011 show around 1,900 people now die from coronary heart disease in Northern Ireland each year, 1,100 men and 800 women. This compares with 1981 when more than 4,900 people in Northern Ireland died of coronary heart disease – around 2,900 men and 2,000 women.

The majority of coronary heart disease deaths in the North are as a result of a heart attack.

Prof Pearson said there were a number of factors leading to the overall significant decrease in people dying from heart disease in Northern Ireland.

"The major change over the past 30-40 years is the increasing understanding of risk and fewer people smoking."

'Clot-busting' drugs
Other important factors included getting people into hospital more quickly; "clot-busting" drugs that are usually administered to ill people while being carried in ambulances; better medication and medical treatments such as angioplasty; and people being conscious of keeping their levels of cholesterol low.

Prof Pearson also warned that while heart attack deaths in the North were decreasing there was a major problem of people suffering from and living with heart failure.