UK study reveals persistent challenges in heart health and cardiovascular diseases

The study found an increase in incidence among young people and people from deprived areas

A study conducted by European researchers from the University of Glasgow, the University of Oxford, KU Leuven and the University of Leicester has revealed the shifting trends and persistent challenges in heart health and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the UK.

Published in the BMJ, researchers analysed the electronic health records of 22 million people from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, CPRD GOLD and Aurum.

CVD affects around seven million people in the UK and is a significant cause of disability and death.

Affecting around 2.3 million people in the UK, coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart and circulatory disease and occurs when coronary arteries become narrowed by a build-up of fatty material within their walls.

In the last 20 years, the study found a 19% reduction in the overall incidence of heart-related disease, including significant reductions in heart attacks and stroke, between 2000 and 2019, with incidences dropping by around 30%.

Despite this decrease, the study highlights an increase in diagnoses of other heart conditions such as irregular heartbeats, valve problems and blood clots, as well as a significant gap between the rich and poor: people living in deprived areas are nearly twice as likely to suffer from certain heart conditions compared to those in wealthier areas.

Researchers said that the overall burden of heart disease remains high due to the rising incidence of other health conditions, leaving large segments of the population at risk, including young people and those living in economically disadvantaged areas, and suggest that more efforts are needed to better identify those at highest risk of developing CVD and how best to prevent it.

Dr Nathalie Conrad, honorary research fellow, University of Glasgow, and lead author of the study, commented: “Our findings suggest that existing efforts have been successful in preventing [CVD], yet that other CVD increased in parallel.

“We hope that these findings will help raise awareness to expand research and prevention efforts to include the broader spectrum of cardiovascular presentations and their consequences.”