![Sharks get a poor rap as heart conditions responsible for more than half of non drowning deaths at the beach. ACM file picture Sharks get a poor rap as heart conditions responsible for more than half of non drowning deaths at the beach. ACM file picture](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/zFAiTDuEg3GdzaaJJ3MGNK/59062ae5-82e0-4447-8cec-1d476618d734.JPG/r0_282_5520_3398_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Worried about sharks when you head to the beach?
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Well, you should be more worried about your heart health as new research shows more than half of non-drowning deaths were caused by heart conditions.
A study by Surf Life Saving Australia over a 10-year period shows heart conditions were responsible for 51.8 per cent of deaths, while other major causes of death were traumatic/collision injuries (15.9 per cent) and falls (10.4 per cent).
Marine creatures including sharks and jelly fish, despite their bad rap, made up only 2 per cent of all coastal deaths.
"Our research showed that males were 5.2 times more likely to die than females, with younger populations found to die disproportionately along the coast with the primary causes being falls and traumatic/collision injuries.
"Those living in or visiting rural and remote areas were also found to be at higher risk, largely due to poorer access to services and longer incident response times.
"While sharks are often top-of-mind for those visiting the beach, all marine creatures including sharks and jellyfish only made up 5 per cent of non-drowning deaths and less than 2 per cent of overall coastal deaths," he said.
SLSA chief executive Adam Weir said volunteer surf lifesavers took a holistic approach to reducing risk on the coast and were highly trained to respond to a variety of situations.
"Even strong and experienced beach-goers can find themselves in circumstances where they need urgent help, for instance because of a cardiac condition or traumatic injury.
"The number of deaths caused by cardiac conditions shows the importance of CPR training and defibrillator access.
"All our patrolling members have been trained in these skills and responding to non-drowning incidents is a big part of what we do."
Mr Weir advises to always swim at a patrolled beach between the red and yellow flags or if you are at an unpatrolled location, swim with a friend, and make sure you know what to do if you find yourself in danger.
The research was published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.