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4h ago

Cardiovascular Deaths Climb in Working-Age Britons as Global Toll Hits 19.2 Million

Researchers say most of the burden is preventable through risk reduction and earlier care.

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Cardiovascular diseases remain the most common cause of death, taking 1 in every 3 human lives
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Overview

  • British Heart Foundation analysis shows the UK cardiovascular death rate among adults aged 20 to 64 rose to 55 per 100,000 in 2023, with deaths up 18% since 2019 to 21,975.
  • UK diagnoses since 2020 have surged, including heart failure up 21% to 785,000, atrial fibrillation up 10% to 1.62 million, and adult diabetes up 12% to 4.6 million, with about 29% of adults classified as obese.
  • England’s NHS cardiovascular waiting list reached 421,683 by February 2025, an 82% increase from early 2020, with similar pressures reported across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Global Burden of Disease data report 19.2 million cardiovascular deaths in 2023—about one in three worldwide—and a 140% rise in CVD-related disability-adjusted life years since 1990 to 437 million.
  • Nearly 80% of global cardiovascular death and disability is attributed to modifiable risks such as high body mass index, elevated blood glucose and high blood pressure, prompting calls for prevention programs and stronger health systems.