Early deaths from heart disease have hit the highest level in more than a decade, as the NHS suffers from its ‘worst heart care crisis in living memory.’
According to statistics, the latest figures show that heart disease killed 80 out of 100,000 in 2022 – the highest rate since 2011.
The increase comes after a 60-year decline in the disease, as cases had tumbled since the 1960s. But now, experts say obesity, diabetes and undiagnosed high blood pressure are reversing six decades of progress, and the lack of care from the NHS could be to blame.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the BHF and a consultant cardiologist, said:
“We’re in the grip of the worst heart care crisis in living memory.
“Every part of the system providing heart care is damaged, from prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery; to crucial research that could give us faster and better treatment.’
“This is happening at a time when more people are getting sicker and need the NHS more than ever.
“I find it tragic that we’ve lost hard-won progress to reduce early death from cardiovascular disease.”
But figures show that even before the rise in death rates, there had been a ‘significant slowdown’ in the rate of improvements since 2012. Meanwhile, data analysed by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), showed heart fatalities in the under 75s have risen for three consecutive years.
Dr Babu-Narayan added:
“Increasing pressure in recent years on the NHS and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic are likely to have contributed to things getting worse, but warning signs have been present long before.
“Since 2010, decades of progress in cutting deaths from heart disease has stalled and the health gap between rich and poor has markedly widened.
“People living in the most deprived parts of England have been getting sicker and rates of some cardiovascular conditions have increased.”
Between 2012 and 2019, the premature death rate for cardiovascular disease in the UK fell by just 11 per cent, compared with 33 per cent between 2005 and 2012.
Meanwhile, more than 39,000 people died prematurely of cardiovascular conditions including heart attacks, coronary heart disease and strokes in 2022 – an average of 750 a week. This is the highest annual total since 2008.
Further reading
Medical misdiagnosis or delay – Oakwood Solicitors
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Jade Glover is a Solicitor in the Medical Negligence team. She has worked for the company for over 9 years and completed her training during that time. She has specialised in Personal Injury clai…
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