Cardiologist Dr Ed Danson said that recognising Heart Health Week was important to them.

"Heart Health Week is going to help raise awareness of heart disease in our community. Too often it is a silent killer and a source of suffering for many when technology now exists to treat the disease to stop it in its tracks. This ranges from preventative strategies to more involved procedures to correct some of the damage already done. Either way awareness and seeking help when needed is the only way to offer treatment to those who need it," Dr Danson said.

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"The most unfortunate thing is that heart attacks can be quite sudden and without warning. Things such as coronary plaque ruptures are sudden events although there are normally a lot of risk factors for this and plaques can be detectable with modern imaging techniques. The other problem is that the nerves on the inside sense pain differently to those on the outside. For this reason things like heartburn are commonly misconstrued as angina (actual heart pain) and vice versa. A lot of people still slip through the net despite huge advances in technology. In my view, education is the key."

And it's not only in the older generation that heart issues can occur. Heart attacks also happen to young people.

"Genetic factors play a role in this and so being aware of a family history is helpful. With others it is lifestyle factors such as poorly controlled diabetes or cholesterol. Either way there is a way to control risk."

At Wollongong Private they offer a comprehensive range of investigations and procedures for patients with heart failure, angina, coronary or valvular heart disease or heart rhythm disorders. The facility is state-of-the-art and the team are among the best available. Treatments include coronary angioplasty, pacemaker and defibrillator implants, ablations for arrhythmias, valvuloplasty and closure devices for holes in the heart or for left-atrial appendage to allow patients to come off blood thinners.

A referral is needed and can be obtained from your GP or any doctor.

"The team at Wollongong Private is really the best out there in terms of expertise. Historically you had to travel to metropolitan Sydney or Melbourne for this but we offer the same, if not a better level of care. The focus is on getting patients better and helping them understand what might be an unfamiliar heart health issue."

Wollongong Private is modern and new, with an emphasis on comfort, which helps when you are unwell. It is adjacent to the public hospital and doctors work closely with each other and cover after-hours emergencies.