Ambulance staff are calling on the public to take steps to reduce the risk of developing a heart attack amid a rise in 999 call-outs for the condition.

Last year saw a 10.7% rise in the number of cardiac arrest calls from residents in Suffolk to East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) – compared to 2014/15.

In Norfolk, EEAST experienced a similar rise (13%) while the number increased in Cambridgeshire by 8.2%.

A cardiac arrest, when a person has stopped breathing with no heart beat and is unconscious, needs immediate life-saving care such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and a defibrillator.

Due to the rise, the trust is urging people to make simple lifestyle changes to help their long-term health and reduce the risks of developing a heart attack.

Tips include:

Adopting a healthy and balanced diet to help lower cholesterol levels;

Drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week;

Being active by doing a recommended 150 minutes of physical exercise a week.

Stopping smoking.

Marcus Bailey, a consultant paramedic, said: “Cardiac arrests are our highest priority calls and our staff do their very best to resuscitate these patients. However we are urging people to act now to think about how they avoid a cardiac emergency in the future.

“It is important that we look after our hearts. Simple steps such as a balanced diet, getting your blood pressure checked, and staying active will help avoid a 999 call for an emergency ambulance.”

The trust is organising an awareness week this week to encourage people to look after their heart and to know what to do in an emergency.

For more information, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLNGhLUOrTE