IT’S official – the SNP Government is good for your health, or at least for those who might be prone to heart attacks and strokes.

According to new independent health statistics published yesterday, death rates from heart disease and strokes have both fallen by a third since 2007 when the SNP first took the reigns of government.

Since then, mortality rates for coronary heart disease have dropped by 36 per cent and death rates from strokes have fallen 33 per cent over the same period.

Incidence rates for coronary heart disease have also fallen by 25 per cent since 2006-07 while incidence of cerebrovascular disease (CVD), of which stroke is one of the most common types, has fallen by 13 per cent over the same period.

Survival rates of people suffering their first emergency admission with a heart attack have increased over the last decade – by eight per cent overall, and by 14 per cent in people over 75.

The number of prescriptions for drugs to treat diseases of the circulation, including cerebrovascular and coronary heart disease, increased by 10.5 per cent in the last 10 years, although the trend has levelled off over the last six years. Despite this increase, the cost of prescriptions dispensed for these drugs has halved over the last 10 years to £109.5 million in 2014-15.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “Heart disease and stroke are two of the most significant causes of death in Scotland, so it’s clearly encouraging to see mortality rates continuing to fall.

“These figures show that our strategy for tackling heart disease and stroke is delivering real improvements for patients.

“The decreases are also a sign of better public awareness of the causes of these conditions, and what to do if you or someone you know has a heart attack or a stroke.”