The start of the 2020s has been “the worst start to a decade for heart health for half a century”, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
A new analysis by the heart health charity found that cardiovascular deaths in working age adults have risen by 18% since 2019, from 18,693 to 21,975 in 2023, averaging 420 a week.
In addition, BHF’s new figures show that since 2020 there has been a 21% rise in the number of people diagnosed with heart failure in the UK, to a record high of 785,000 in March 2024 from 650,000 in March 2020.
Commenting on these figures, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF, said: “It’s been the worst start to a decade for heart health for half a century, but we’re entering an era of immense scientific opportunity that can turn this tide.
“By driving a…