Scarlett Hack was just 10 years old when she started experiencing a shortness of breath and heart palpitations. (Supplied)"The heart disease was spontaneous in me. New data by the Heart Research Institute found 144,000 Australians are living with a deadly heart disease, which claims nine lives and causes 170 hospitalisations each day. "Heart disease can affect any one of us," he said. Hack urged anyone with symptoms of heart disease to get themselves checked.