MedicoPlexus

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY – VARNA 

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL MEDICINE AND BIOSTATISTICS 

Fact or Fiction? The British Cardiovascular “Crisis” 

Figure 1: Grassroots fundraising for cardiovascular concerns in the UK

William Peach   “Medicine”, 2nd course, 22 grp.  

Fact or Fiction? The British Cardiovascular “Crisis” 1 

United Kingdom: Demographic Profile 3 

The British Healthcare System 8 

Etiology of Cardiovascular Disease 13 

Relevant Risk Factors 15 

Incidence and Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease in the UK 16 

Effective Treatment and Prevention Practices 18 

Sources 20 

The British Cardiovascular “Crisis” 

‘Heart Age’, a recent “key” indicator in United Kingdom healthcare statistics, is at a disturbing level according to the British media. Alarm bells first rang around September of this year following multiple British media outlets’ coverage of a new online program devised to test people over 30’s general heart health. The results, according to publication The Guardian, show a growing population at risk of severe health issues within this important demographic. 

“Four in five adults in England have a “heart age” older than their actual age”, read varying media reports in British national news during 2018. From a larger perspective, taking into consideration the country’s general population, that would mean that 78% of individuals are at greater risk than they should be of an early death. Couple this with data on health risks other than cardiovascular disease (like respiratory illnesses for example) and this statistic grows ever more disturbing. 

The British National Health Service (NHS) is well aware of this growing risk too. 7,400 people will die from heart disease or stroke each month, according to data on their website. Yet according to other media outlets (as well as the aforementioned), these figures are largely inconsistent. 

Figure 2: Infographic from the British Heart Foundation’s Information Support page 

The BBC, a media outlet paid for by the British taxpayer, puts the estimate at around 200 deaths per day as a consequence of coronary heart disease within the UK, while The Mirror, another leading national newspaper, says 435. As to what the real truth is surrounding cardiovascular related deaths and risk within the country? That is what this project aims to examine. 

Just how far has this health indicator been misconstrued in the British media? Is the fear espoused in publications like the Guardian real, or are other, potentially more pressing, health issues at stake within the Great British populace?  

Hopefully, in examining public health data surrounding cardiovascular related disease incidence and prevalence rates, we can hope to answer some of these questions.  

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