Heart Disease Deaths Climb in the UK

The British Heart Foundation reports that 42,384 people under age 75 died from heart-related diseases in 2017. That’s up four percent from 2014.  Before that, heart disease-related death rates were actually declining.

The foundation’s chief executive noted that millions of people are at risk due to high blood pressure and diabetes.  Disparities also play a role. In some areas of the U.K., premature deaths due to heart disease are three times as high as those in other parts of the country.

“…We’re seeing more people die each year from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK before they reach their 75th, or even 65th, birthday,” lamented the foundation’s Simon Gillespie. “We are deeply concerned...”

The U.K. can do better – much better, the British Heart Foundation contends.  The organisation has ambitions to boost heart attack survival by 90% by 2030 and to cut stroke-related death and disability by half.  Gillespie proposes collaborating with the National Health Service, the government and the medical research community to meet these goals.