An urgent need to stop Kiwis dying of heart disease - currently responsible for 20-percent of all deaths

Research by advocacy group Kia Manawanui Trust shows New Zealand has just 32.8 cardiologists per million people, far below Europe's median of 95.

Half of all heart attack patients aren't seen within internationally accepted timeframes.

Health NZ Chief Clinical Officer, Doctor Richard Sullivan, says immediate care is crucial - to minimise ongoing harm.

He says people need the best care, whether to avoid getting the disease, or deal with diagnosed cases.