The Shoalhaven is on the map - but not in a good way. We've ranked 14th out of 28 New South Wales regions for heart attack hospital admissions, according to new data released by the Heart Foundation. At a rate of heart attack hospital admissions of 15.4 out of every 10,000 people, the Shoalhaven is around 6 per cent higher than the NSW state average. Out of 28 regions in NSW, the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region has the state's ninth highest rate of death from coronary heart disease. The death rate in this region is 65 out of every 100,000 people, which is just about in line with the state average (64.5). "This is unacceptable, and the Heart Foundation will continue its work to reduce heart disease," Heart Foundation's NSW/ACT Heart Health Manager, Anna Flynn said. "We also urge governments at all levels to take action to curb the toll - especially in regional, rural and disadvantaged areas, where our Heart Maps show the burden of heart disease is at its highest." People in the Shoalhaven are hospitalised for coronary heart disease at a rate of 40.8 out of every 10,000 people, about 10 per cent below the state average. In terms of heart disease risk factors, the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region has the state's 11th highest rate of obesity. Around 35 per cent of adults living in this region are obese. This is slightly higher than the state average of 31 per cent. This region ranks 11th again for smoking. About 16 per cent of adults in the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region are smokers. About 63 per cent of people in this region are not physically active enough for good health, and just over 23 per cent have high blood pressure. The statistics are part of the latest update to the Heart Foundation's Australian Heart Maps. The online tool that allows users to look at data for heart disease deaths, hospitalisations and risk factors at a national, state, regional and LGA level. The Heart Foundation encourages all NSW residents to take action to protect their heart health. If you're 45 and over, or from age 30 if you're Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, talk to your GP about having a Heart Health Check.