Heart-related deaths rise by 10% in Surrey
New data collected by the British Heart Foundation has found the number of working-aged people who have died from heart and circulatory diseases has risen in the last five years.
There has been a 10% rise in heart-related deaths in working-aged people in Surrey, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Data collected over the last five years has shown significant increases in heart-related problems in the county.
There has been a 33% rise in the number of people diagnosed with heart failure, up to a high of 11,189.
The charity points to an increasingly unhealthy population, widening health inequalities, Covid-19, unprecedented pressure on the NHS, and a lack of meaningful action over the last decade to address many of the causes of heart disease and stroke, such as obesity.
An estimated 21% of Surrey's adult population – 210,000 adults – now have a weight defined as obese.
There has also been a 10% rise in the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, while Surrey's NHS cardiovascular waiting list has seen a 71% increase.
Guildford mum-of-two Jojo Clark lost her Matthew suddenly to cardiac arrest in 2023.
She says his symptoms were not consistent with heart failure as he was complaining of stomach pain. Within minutes, it turned into cardiac arrest.
"Matthew was only 46, he was a fit man. If you looked at him you would never think he would suffer from coronary artery disease.
"Heart disease is very misleading, it can have the same symptoms as other mild illnesses."
Matthew's post-mortem revealed he had an undetected coronary artery disease.
She urges people to have their heart checked: "I wish Matthew had a chance to be checked."
The British Heart Foundation is launching a new strategy today to reimagine how the UK prevents heart disease, increase investment in cardiovascular research, and ensure UK health systems improve the care and support people with heart conditions receive.
With the help of governments, partners and supporters, the charity wants to reduce early deaths from cardiovascular disease by 25% by 2035.