Greg Robson recovering after heart attack 'shock'

But when the pain did not subside, he knew something was wrong.

North west Victoria (SA4 region) has Victoria's second highest rate of death from coronary heart disease, with a death rate in this region at 73.7 out of every 100,000 people.

This is 20 per cent above the state average.

On that September night Mr Robson woke up to an almighty feeling in his chest.

"I was asleep and it was about 3am. On the Monday night I had a normal night, a couple of light stubbies with tea and then I woke up and it felt like I had been hit by a bus in the chest," he said.

"I suffer from reflux and I thought it might have been that, but it got worse and worse so I rang my sister-in-law to come up and get me.

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"She took me to the emergency outpatients at Stawell Regional Health and they said you're in the middle of a heart attack and you're going straight to Ballarat.

"They must've sedated me because I remember getting into the ambulance, but I can't remember going to Ballarat.

"And it was about 24 hours later when I realised who I was and where I was.

"They had put in the stents and had me hooked up to wires and machines and I was on a ventilator because I was having trouble breathing."

Mr Robson was in ICU for three days and then in the cardiac recovery ward for three days.

He said the incident was scary and came as a complete surprise to him.

"It was all just a shock," he said.

"I never suspected a heart attack because I had no warnings about it happening and no symptoms for it.

"I get up to the hospital and they said you're in the middle of an acute heart attack.

"On the Wednesday after it had happened and I realised I had had heart attack, it was scary.

"I'll be 70 in December and I think for a 70-year-old I am pretty good, I am not overweight and I exercise regularly.

"My cholesterol was good, it was being monitored, but the two main arteries in the heart were blocked and that's what caused it."

Despite the big shock Mr Robson said he was on the mend and encouraged others to be aware of their heart health.

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"I am feeling good. I still get a little bit short of breath and that might continue for a while," he said.

"I have been doing a lot more exercising and walking.

"I never suspected a heart attack but it was a heart attack, so if I had of let it go I might not be here.

"If someone has the slightest symptoms go and get it checked as soon as possible."

In terms of heart disease risk factors, the north west Victorian region is the state and nation's top smoking hotspot with 22.2 per cent of adults smokers, according to the Heart Foundation's Australian Heart Maps.

Also 37.1 per cent of adults in this region are obese, which is significantly higher than the state average of 31.3 per cent.

70.3 per cent of adults are physically inactive which is significantly higher than the state's average 65.7 per cent.

In the north west Victorian region 23.7 per cent of adults have high blood pressure which is higher than the state's average of 22.7 per cent.

This October the Heart Foundation is launching the MyMarathon fundraiser which starts on on October 1.

This fundraiser encourages people to walk or run 42.2 km inOctober, all at your own pace. Every kilometreis one more reason for people to support you. To sign up visit the MyMarathon fundraiser webpage.

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