Welcome to the New Zealand Heart Foundation

Make the right call

Learn to recognise the symptoms of a heart attack, so you know what to do if you see or experience them.

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Staying well with heart failure

My Heart Check

Call the Heart Line

Our purpose: to stop all people in New Zealand dying prematurely from heart disease and enable people with heart disease to live full lives

195,000

people in New Zealand are currently living with heart disease

That's more than one in 23 adults [1]

30%

Almost 30% of deaths in NZ are caused by cardiovascular disease

It is the leading cause of death in New Zealand and includes heart, stroke and blood vessel disease [2]

90 mins

Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease

Many of these deaths are premature and preventable [2]

$100m

The Heart Foundation has invested into research since 1968

I have a heart condition

I want a healthy lifestyle

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News & Stories

21 July 2026 in Blogs

8 heart health myths debunked

We’ve all got a heart, but how well do you know how yours works? We explore 8 common misconceptions about heart health and explain the evidence.

Heart disease deaths set to surge unless New Zealand urgently tackles obesity and high blood pressure

Thousands of New Zealand lives could be saved if urgent action is taken, as obesity overtakes smoking as a leading contributor to heart disease, and high blood pressure remains dangerously underdiagnosed.

Simple ways to be more active at home or in the office

An important way to reduce your risk of heart disease is to move more and sit less. Here are some simple tips, and a chair workout, for staying active at home or at work.

Thanks to our amazing supporters, in 2025 we were able to invest $4.9 million in vital research projects and training for cardiologists.

Your donation will save lives

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