THE number of people dying from hearts attacks in Inverclyde is falling faster than the average across the rest of the country.

New figures show that locally there has been a 44 per cent drop in heart-disease related deaths in the last ten years — and in the most deprived areas of the local authority it has fallen by as much as 48 per cent.

It is a major turnaround for Inverclyde which was singled out as the heart attack capital of the UK eight years ago.

Top cardiologist Dr David Murdoch, pictured, told the Tele that this was a result of better treatments and a co-ordintated effort across all services.

But he warned that more still has to be done to reduce the health inequality gap between those living in affluent areas and people in deprived communities.

Dr Murdoch, Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s clinical director of consultant physician and cardiologist, said: “It is certainly good news that the number of heart attack deaths has come down more in Inverclyde than the average in Scotland.

“There has been a big push the from the government for better results on heart disease. There is not one single factor, but a number of reasons.

“One of the first things we did was make sure that everyone was treated the same across the board.

“We standardised best pratice so that if you went in to hospital in Inverclyde you would get exactly the same treatment as if you went to a hospital in Glasgow.

“GPs have also been involved with things like early warning of high pressure.

“Smoking cessation has also been a major factor. We have had success there.” The figures by ISD Scotland show that in Inverclyde in 2004 there were 269 heart-disease related deaths in the poulation under 75, and in 2013 it stood at 150. Of those who died, 73 were men and 77 were women.

Other figures show that when comparing deaths in four year periods since 2000, those living in areas that fall within the 15 per cent most deprived parts of Inverclyde there was a greater decrease.

Between 2000-2004 there were 274 deaths from heart attacks in those areas and that fell to 142 from 2009 to 2013 – a drop of 48 per cent.

Advances in science and medicine has also meant treatments have moved on.

Resources have also been ploughed in to rehab with Inverclyde Royal Hospital linking up with local community services to get referrals to gyms and classes.

Dr Murdoch added: “There is work to do on health inequality. The number of deaths in the most deprived areas stays stubborningly high.” The Scottish Government welcomed the new statistics which showed a national fall of 41 per cent.