People with heart problems in Pembrokeshire are getting support to keep their hearts healthy.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation runs exercise and education sessions throughout the county providing valuable support for cardiac patients and their carers.

Cardiac disease is the single biggest cause of premature death in Wales and nine per cent of people within Hywel Dda Health Board are being treated for a heart condition.

Hywel Dda Health Board has pledged to prevent 200 people a year developing heart disease over the next five years.

Every patient referred from Withybush or Morriston Hospitals following a heart problem is now offered a home visit and has contact from the team within one week of discharge.

The team also has an ECG machine, recently donated from the BHF and the North Pembrokeshire Province of RAOB, which is used within the community to help diagnose arrhythmias of certain patients and a new Phoenix ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) support group has been established to offer support to ICD recipients and carers.

Paula Emery, British Heart Foundation cardiac liaison nurse specialist, clinical team leader for Cardiac Rehabilitation (Pembrokeshire), said: "The aim of cardiac rehabilitation is to get people back to everyday life as quickly as possible. It is also aimed at educating people about risk factors and helping them make healthy choices in life."

Gareth Harris, 59, of Maenclochog, attended his first cardiac rehab session this week. He has previously had a heart bypass 15 years ago, but felt unwell over Christmas and needed further treatment.

He needed to change his lifestyle after the heart bypass, including eating more healthily.

He said: "It was hard in the beginning as I wasn't sure what had good or bad stuff in it.

"These rehab classes are totally different to the ones I did 15 years ago, then it was much more equipment based, but today's session I could probably do the exercises at home."