Action now could avoid 11,000 premature cardiovascular deaths a year by 2035

BRITISH Heart Foundation calls for a heart disease action plan to reduce death and disability from cardiovascular disease.

Up to 11,000 early deaths a year from heart and circulatory diseases could be avoided by 2035 in England with the help of a heart disease action plan, according to analysis by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

In a report released recently, the charity is calling for a bold package of measures that could help to reduce early death and disability from cardiovascular disease. These include reducing waits for heart treatment and care, addressing obesity and smoking, tackling health inequalities, and powering research and innovation.

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of premature death, and for more than 50 years, groundbreaking research and advances in medicine helped to make huge strides towards reducing deaths from heart attack and stroke.

However, the latest figures for 2022 show that there has been a three-year rise in the number and rate of these early deaths in England.

BHF modelling warns that, on the current trajectory, the number of premature deaths each year in England could continue to rise. This is due to a growing, ageing and increasingly unhealthy population, with widening health inequalities.

However, the charity says bold and targeted action from the Government to reduce early cardiovascular disease death rates by 25 per cent over the next decade could help to save thousands more lives each year.

The BHF is drawing attention to the heart crisis as part of its latest campaign, Hearts Need More. The campaign is backed by football legend David Seaman, who has an irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation, and his wife Frankie.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the BHF, said:

“We are witnessing an urgent heart crisis, and the devastating toll it’s having on people is one they are paying for with their lives.

“There is no quick fix, but if politicians put the wheels in motion now, we could potentially prevent thousands more people dying too young.

“There is no time to waste. Early deaths from conditions like heart attack and stroke are rising, the NHS is facing unprecedented pressure, and we urgently need to find more revolutionary treatments and cures. A heart disease action plan has never been more needed.”

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the BHF, said:

“I am in my 40th year as an NHS doctor, and the pressure on the health service has never been greater. There is an unrelenting rise in demand for cardiovascular disease care, and this won’t change without ambitious action.

“Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest yet most preventable causes of premature death and ill health. We must do more to keep people healthy and prevent disease in the first place.

“As well as dealing with the immediate crisis, the Government must think more radically about how services for preventing and early detection of cardiovascular disease are configured and delivered. There is a huge opportunity to reimagine cardiovascular disease prevention by leveraging science, AI and technology to transform the way we deliver preventive health care. This Government must also work to unleash the potential of our life sciences sector, to improve the nation’s heart health while simultaneously boosting growth with the right strategy and investment.”

BHF Ambassadors David and Frankie Seaman added:

“Heart and circulatory diseases affect so many families like ours and it worries us that things only seem to be getting worse. We need to hear that the Government is taking this heart crisis seriously.”

Before 2012, the number and rate of deaths from cardiovascular conditions under the age of 75 were falling steadily in England. Progress then slowed, and between 2019 and 2022, the number and rate of cardiovascular deaths began to rise for the first time in nearly six decades.

In 2022 alone, over 39,000 people in England died before turning 75 from cardiovascular conditions – the highest total since 2008.

Forecasts suggest that there will be 1.5 million more people aged 60-74 in 2035 due to England’s ageing and growing population.

BHF modelling therefore estimates that the annual total of early deaths from cardiovascular disease could rise to 44,000 in 2035 if the premature death rate remained the same as it was in 2022.

However, modelling shows that a 25 per cent reduction in the early cardiovascular disease death rate could reduce the annual total to 33,000 by 2035.

The BHF says a raft of bold measures are needed to make this a reality.

Labour made a welcome manifesto commitment to tackle the nation’s biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease, and the party has made positive moves to raise the age of sale of tobacco products and bring in overdue restrictions on TV and online junk food adverts.

However, immediate measures are also needed to drive down early cardiovascular disease deaths in the next 10 years. These include improved management of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, addressing long waiting lists for heart care and NHS staff shortages, and introducing mandatory measures to incentivise the food industry to make everyday foods healthier.

Research holds the key to unlocking new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating cardiovascular disease. It is therefore vital that cardiovascular research has the funding it needs to harness the potential of cutting-edge innovations – including artificial intelligence, gene editing and regenerative medicine – to improve prevention, treatment and survival for millions of heart patients.

Jenny’s story

A woman from Chester is supporting the BHF’s Hearts Need More campaign in memory of her mother who died suddenly last year aged 57.

Jenny Stephenson, 29, said her mother Sandra started experiencing chest pains in April 2023.

Sandra, a married mother of two, went to hospital where doctors told her she would have to wait for an appointment with a cardiologist for further heart tests.

But just two weeks after her hospital visit, Sandra died from a cardiac arrest at home, having had undiagnosed coronary heart disease. Jenny learnt the shocking news in a phone call from her dad.

Jenny said:

“I was working and typing away at my desk when my dad rang. I didn’t believe him at first. I’d only spoken to my mum the day before.

“It was so unexpected and devastating. Mum worked at the library at Neston and was hoping to retire at 60. She had so many plans for the future, and she was excited about being able to relax, travel, and enjoy time with her family and friends.

“I think we stayed in shock for a long time. It’s been over a year now, but we’re still working through it, and getting used to a new normal. My mum was very much the centre of our family.

“She loved socialising and organising our birthdays and Christmas. To lose her was massive. We spend a lot of time together as a family now, but she can’t be replaced. She was the sunshine in our lives.

“When mum died, she was only 57. I know that every possible effort was made to save her. However, I believe that further research could improve testing methods and enhance treatments so that other families don’t have to suffer similar heartbreaking losses in the future.”