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EventuntilCardiovascular disease (conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels) accounts for around 1 in 4 deaths in the UK each year. A person’s risk of cardiovascular disease depends on their blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, smoking status, family history, and other factors. Identifying an individual’s risk allows preventative measures, such as changes in lifestyle or taking medicines, to reduce risk and improve health outcomes. An assessment of cardiovascular risk is part of routine care, during the NHS Health Check, for example, but more can be done to optimise the identification of risk for the future. Join this webinar to learn about NIHR research on 3 promising new ways to identify people at risk of heart and circulation problems using information from clinical care that could enable intervention at an earlier stage leading to improved outcomes. Presentations will be followed by a Q&A session. This 1-hour, online webinar will cover new tools to predict future cardiovascular risk including: a heart disease calculator n AI-enabled ECG AI analysis of heart scans. Presenters include: Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox Dr Fu Siong Ng Dr Kenneth Chan Register
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Content ArticleAn ECG is a test that records the electrical activity of a patient’s heart. It needs to be correctly carried out and accurately interpreted to determine the patient’s condition and potential diagnosis. This Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB) investigation was prompted by the case of a 29-year-old woman with chest pain. Her ECG was misinterpreted and she later died of a heart attack. The investigation focused on paramedic education, training and competence in ECG practice and the task of carrying out and interpreting an ECG in the context of the patient’s clinical signs and symptoms. The investigation spoke to key stakeholders to understand the safety risks that may be present in this area. The way 12-lead ECGs are undertaken and interpreted was identified as a growing area of concern, with systemic safety risks that can have a significant impact on the outcome for patients. HSSIB identified safety learning for ambulance services to help train qualified paramedics. It has also made a safety recommendation to the Health and Care Professions Council and the College of Paramedics to improve undergraduate teaching for paramedic students, to reduce this safety risk for patients. HSSIB makes the following safety recommendation HSSIB recommends that the Health and Care Professions Council and the College of Paramedics work in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to improve the undergraduate teaching of 12-lead electrocardiograms by reviewing and updating any relevant standards, guidance, and curricula to provide clarification on: the level of education and expected level of competency and assessment required of student paramedics in relation to electrocardiograms any minimum expected standards for electrocardiogram education in higher education institutions, including the time spent on electrocardiogram learning, methods used, and subject matter expertise required of teaching staff how patient protected characteristics, health inequalities and other specific patient factors are taught in relation to electrocardiograms how effective feedback mechanisms can be developed between higher education institutions and ambulance services. This is to help improve consistency in the way paramedic students are educated about electrocardiograms. HSSIB makes the following safety observations Ambulance services can improve patient safety by including patient protected characteristics, health inequalities and other specific patient factors that can impact on the task of carrying out and interpreting a 12-lead ECG, when developing refresher training. Ambulance services and national organisations can improve patient safety by providing and supporting protected time and resources for paramedic training and continuous professional development, while understanding the potential impact on operational performance. Ambulance services can improve patient safety by providing additional support to paramedic students and paramedics through exposure to a range of clinical scenarios that help develop and maintain 12-lead ECG competency on a regular basis. Acute hospitals and ambulance services can improve patient safety by developing local mechanisms to share information about patient outcomes where paramedics have undertaken a 12-lead ECG. This can help to support learning for paramedics and provide feedback on where their practice may be improved.
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Content ArticleWrist-based wearables in the US have been FDA approved for atrial fibrillation (AF) detection. However, the health behaviour impact of false AF alerts from wearables on older patients at high risk for AF are not known. In this work, the authors analysed data from the Pulsewatch (NCT03761394) study, which randomised patients with history of stroke or transient ischemic attack to wear a patch monitor and a smartwatch linked to a smartphone running the Pulsewatch application vs to only the cardiac patch monitor over 14 days. At baseline and 14 days, participants completed validated instruments to assess for anxiety, patient activation, perceived mental and physical health, chronic symptom management self-efficacy, and medicine adherence. The authors used linear regression to examine associations between false AF alerts with change in patient-reported outcomes. Receipt of false AF alerts was related to a dose-dependent decline in self-perceived physical health and levels of disease self-management. The authors developed a novel convolutional denoising autoencoder (CDA) to remove motion and noise artifacts in photoplethysmography (PPG) segments to optimize AF detection, which substantially reduced the number of false alerts. A promising approach to avoid negative impact of false alerts is to employ artificial intelligence driven algorithms to improve accuracy.
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Content ArticleHospital-acquired pressure injuries are a significant patient safety concern. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tracks hospital-acquired pressure injuries as a patient safety indicator. Healthcare organisations with higher-than-expected rates may incur penalties. The aim of this study was to reduce the prevalence and incidence of hospital-acquired pressure injuries in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit. Local problem The pressure injury prevalence rate in a cardiothoracic intensive care unit was above the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators benchmark. The current standard of care—use of the Braden scale for pressure injury risk assessment and the SKIN (surface, keep turning, incontinence care, and nutrition) care bundle—may not adequately address the needs of the intensive care unit population. In addition, cardiac patients present a special challenge because of their disease process and the mechanical support devices used to treat patients in cardiogenic shock, which place them at risk for the development of hospital-acquired pressure injuries. Methods A performance improvement project was carried out in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit to reduce the prevalence and incidence of hospital-acquired pressure injuries. A preintervention convenience cohort was compared with a postintervention cohort. The intervention consisted of use of the Cubbin-Jackson scale, an intensive care unit–specific risk-assessment tool, with linked interventions to prevent pressure injuries. Results The preintervention and postintervention cohorts consisted of 102 patients each. The pressure injury prevalence and incidence rates decreased by 67.84% and 36.43%, respectively, from before to after the intervention. Conclusion The use of an intensive care unit–specific risk-assessment tool with linked interventions to prevent pressure injury can help reduce hospital-acquired pressure injuries in an intensive care unit.
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Content ArticleAll Together Better Sunderland is an alliance of local health and social care services working as an integrated ‘out of hospital’ system. By working in a much more joined up way, it supports Sunderland residents with long-term illness, health problems, mental health issues and disabilities. The service enables them to access care as close to home as possible and live healthy, independent lives. The alliance wanted to find a digital solution which would enable hundreds of elderly and vulnerable people in self-isolation to receive healthcare support with the use of home care technology.
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News Article
'I fear I'll die on hospital waiting list'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A man fears he will die before he reaches the top of a year-long waiting list to see a heart specialist. John Crockford, 77, from Bridlington in East Yorkshire, has a history of cardiac problems and suffered three heart attacks in 2022. He has had four stents fitted to open blocked arteries but said he had become so unwell he suspects another is needed. York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said its patients were "prioritised by doctors according to clinical need", but recognised some were waiting longer than it would like. Mr Crockford said he asked his GP practice to refer him to a cardiologist at Scarborough Hospital before Christmas, when he started to feel so breathless he was unable to do any physical activity. The retired foster carer and retail worker said his symptoms were the same as those he experienced before previous operations to fit a stent. Mr Crockford needs a scan to establish if the procedure is needed, but said he was alarmed when he received a letter from the hospital stating "patients are waiting up to 52 weeks" for their cardiology appointments. He said: "That's before I can go and see a cardiologist, let alone have the scan. "I don't know whether I'm going to snuff it before I get this year over, because all the time they're not doing it, these arteries are getting clogged up." Read full story Source: BBC News, 20 January 2025 -
News ArticleA national probe has been launched into the deaths and harm of thousands of NHS patients waiting for cardiac surgery, as doctors and experts warn of a “crisis in heart care”, an investigation by The Independent has revealed. The audit was ordered by NHS England after concerns were raised about the impact on patients left waiting too long for specialist surgery, according to a leaked memo. Waiting times for all types of cardiac surgery are also under review. Senior doctors have described how the NHS is struggling to provide life-saving care to those suffering heart attacks and strokes, with worsening ambulance delays meaning patients are being deprioritised. The latest figures show waiting lists for cardiology services have doubled since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 with 412,164 patients waiting for routine care in October 2024 – up from 397,956 the year before. The Independent can also reveal: Ambulances are transferring just 31% of patients between hospitals for life-saving heart attack surgery in the target time. Nearly 1,000 patients in London face a 10- to 12-week wait for heart surgery who should have had it within four weeks. Multiple coroners have issued warnings in the last year after patients died waiting for routine and emergency cardiology surgery. British Heart Foundation figures suggest 39,000 people died prematurely from cardiovascular disease in 2022. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), and consultant cardiologist, said: “Unacceptably long waits for time-critical heart care puts people at significant risk of life-long heart failure or even premature death." Read full story Source: The Independent, 9 December 2024
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Content ArticleCardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels, including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and other arterial and aortic diseases. The British Heart Foundation estimates that there are approximately 6.4 million people in England living with CVD (as at September 2024). In 2022, CVD contributed to a quarter of deaths in England. Local authorities have a statutory duty to commission NHS Health Checks – used to help prevent CVD – for their local eligible population. While DHSC provides funding to local authorities for Health Checks through the public health grant, and retains policy responsibility, local authorities. This report examines the effectiveness of the government‘s approach to identifying, preventing and managing CVD in England. It sets out: levels and trends in CVD in England the role of primary care in detecting and preventing CVD commissioning, delivery and performance on Health Checks wider public health work on preventing CVD.
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News ArticleLess than half of people over the age of 40 in England are getting the heart health checks they are entitled to, according to the government’s spending watchdog. The National Audit Office called for a review of how NHS health checks are provided in England, after it found that only 44% of eligible adults attended one in the past five years. The checks, known as a midlife MOT, were introduced in 2009, to help identify those at higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes and offer tailored advice and treatment to help them manage their risk more effectively. Heart disease is estimated to affect 6.4 million people in England, costing the healthcare system £7.4bn a year and the wider economy an estimated £15.8bn a year. It contributed to a quarter of all deaths in England in 2022. In 2019, NHS England’s long-term plan set a target to prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases by 2028-29. The report, “Progess in preventing cardiovascular disease”, calls on the government to assess whether local authorities are best placed to deliver health checks. The Department of Health and Social Care should also “set clear targets for the numbers or percentages of the eligible population who should attend health checks, so they are attended and not just offered”, the NAO said. And there should be incentives to ensure those at highest risk of cardiovascular disease, receive their checks. Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: “Each year thousands of lives are lost to cardiovascular disease, with billions of pounds spent tackling it. “Health checks can play a crucial role in bringing these numbers down, but the system isn’t working effectively, resulting in not enough people having checks. This is an unsatisfactory basis for delivering an important public health intervention. “The Department of Health and Social Care needs to address the weaknesses in the current system for targeting and delivering health checks if it is to achieve the preventive effect it wants.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 13 November 2024
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Content ArticleHealthcare professionals are reminded to inform patients about the common and serious side effects associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). Advice for healthcare professionals: Inform patients upon initial prescription and when increasing the dose about the common risk of gastrointestinal side effects which may affect more than 1 in 10 patients. These are usually non-serious, however can sometimes lead to more serious complications such as severe dehydration, resulting in hospitalisation. Be aware that hypoglycaemia can occur in non-diabetic patients using some GLP-1RAs for weight management; ensure patients are aware of the symptoms and signs of hypoglycaemia and know to urgently seek medical advice should they occur. Patients should also be warned of the risk of falsified GLP-1RA medicines for weight loss if not prescribed by a registered healthcare professional, and be aware that some falsified medicines have been found to contain insulin. Be aware there have been reports of potential misuse of GLP-1RAs for unauthorised indications such as aesthetic weight loss report suspected adverse drug reactions to the Yellow Card scheme.
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Content ArticleThis study in the Journal of Medical Virology aimed to assess the extent and the disparity in excess acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-associated mortality during the pandemic, focusing on the outbreak of the Omicron strain. Using data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Vital Statistics System, the authors found that excess death, defined as the difference between the observed and the predicted mortality rates, was most pronounced for the 25–44 years age group. Excess deaths ranged from 23%–34% for the youngest compared to 13%–18% for the oldest age groups. The trend of mortality suggests that age and sex disparities have persisted even through the Omicron surge, with excess AMI-associated mortality being most pronounced in younger-aged adults.
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Content ArticleTwo reproductive health conditions common in women, polycystic ovary syndrome and dysmenorrhea, are each associated with increasing cardiovascular disease risk, according to two preliminary studies presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023. Research Highlights: High blood pressure risk was higher among adolescent girls with a condition associated with irregular menstrual periods called polycystic ovary syndrome, compared to teens without this condition, according to a study of girls between 13-17 years of age.In a separate study of women younger than age 50, those with painful menstrual periods had a notably higher risk of heart disease compared with those women without the condition known as dysmenorrhea.Researchers of both studies suggest future investigations focus on how these reproductive conditions may impact women’s long-term cardiovascular disease risk.
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Content ArticleA survey, carried out by The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust, assessed how Acute Aortic Syndrome is managed across NHS trusts in Great Britain, revealing some significant areas for improvement. The survey showed that the majority of NHS trusts have established policies for managing patients with chest pain, a common symptom of AAS. This demonstrates a good degree of preparedness in identifying and treating cardiovascular issues. However, the survey also found that only about half of the trusts have dedicated teaching on AAS for emergency department staff. Furthermore, there’s a lack of uniform policy for the recognition and treatment of AAS specifically. This absence of standardised guidelines and insufficient educational focus could lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment, potentially affecting patient outcomes. Find out more via the link below.
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Content ArticleThe Covid-19 pandemic had an adverse impact on the detection and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors including hypertension. In June 2022, nearly two million fewer people with hypertension were recorded as being treated to target, compared with the previous year. As a result, NHS England commissioned the AHSN Network to deliver a new national Blood Pressure Optimisation (BPO) programme building on its portfolio of work around cardiovascular disease. This report lays out: evidence about the impact of the BPO programme how it has been received by frontline staff how it has been implemented nationally.
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Content ArticleAortic valve replacement (AVR) is a life-saving procedure for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS), which relieves symptoms, increases life expectancy and improves quality of life. Little is known about the rate of AVR provision by gender, race or social deprivation level in the NHS across England. However, a large analysis examining AVR on the health service in England – the first of its kind – reveals striking inequalities in its provision. Women, black and Asian people, and those living in the poorest parts of the country are much less likely to receive the life-saving procedure, the study shows. “In this large, national dataset, female gender, black or south Asian ethnicities and high deprivation were associated with significantly reduced odds of receiving AVR in England,” the authors wrote. Dr Clare Appleby, a consultant cardiologist at the Liverpool Heart and Chest hospital NHS foundation trust and an author of the study, said public health initiatives to understand and tackle these inequalities should be prioritised. “Severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is a serious disease that causes mortality and reduces quality of life for patients,” she said. “Left untreated it has a worse prognosis than many common metastatic cancers, with average survival being 50% at two years, and around 20% at five years.” Further research and public health initiatives to understand and address inequalities in the timely provision of AVR are important and should be prioritised in England.
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News ArticleA 25-year-old who died from a heart haemorrhage after being diagnosed with a panic attack had been seen by a non-medical school trained physician associate (PA) but not a doctor, it has emerged. Ben Peters, 25, attended the emergency department at Manchester Royal Infirmary on the morning of 11 Nov 2022 with chest pain, arm ache, a sore throat and shortness of breath. While waiting, he endured a “severe episode of vomiting”. Peters was diagnosed with a panic attack and gastric inflammation by the PA and sent home with two medications, after a supervising consultant, who the coroner found never reviewed the patient in person, agreed with the diagnosis. Less than 24 hours later, Peters died from a rare complication of the heart that had resulted in a tear of the heart’s major artery, known as aortic dissection, and led to a fatal haemorrhage. The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust (TADCT) says around 2,000 people in Britain die from the condition each year, which can be “reliably diagnosed or excluded” using a CT scan, but “misdiagnosis affects one-third of patients”. A prevention of future deaths notice issued by Chris Morris, the area coroner for Greater Manchester South, written to Manchester University Foundation Trust, said: “It is a matter of concern that despite the patient’s reported symptoms, in view of his age and extensive family history of cardiac problems, Mr Peters was discharged from the Ambulatory Care Unit without being examined or reviewed in person by a doctor." Read full story Source: The Telegraph, 21 October 2023
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News Article
Women at greater risk of heart attack death due to medical sexism
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Women are a third less likely to receive lifesaving treatment for heart attacks due to sexism in medicine, research shows. Research led by the University of Leeds and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) pooled NHS data from previous studies looking at common heart conditions over the past two decades. It investigated how care varied according to age and sex, finding that women were significantly less likely to receive treatment for heart attacks and heart failure. Following the most severe type of heart attack — a Stemi — women were one third less likely to receive a potentially lifesaving diagnostic procedure called a coronary angiogram. Women were significantly more likely to die after being admitted to hospital with a severe heart attack. They were also less likely to be prescribed preventative drugs that can help to protect against future heart attacks, such as statins or beta-blockers. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the BHF and a consultant cardiologist said: “This review adds to existing evidence showing that the odds are stacked against women when it comes to their heart care. Deep-rooted inequalities mean women are underdiagnosed, undertreated, and underserved by today’s healthcare system." “The underrepresentation of women in research could jeopardise the effectiveness of new tests and treatment, posing a threat to women’s health in the long-term,” she added. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 5 October 2023 -
News Article
Strikes now endangering heart and cancer patients, NHSE warns BMA
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The impact of successive doctors’ strikes is now ‘causing significant disruption and risk to patients’, including to those needing urgent heart and cancer treatment, NHS England leaders have told the BMA in their strongest warnings yet. A letter to the union’s council chair on Tuesday evening, leaked to HSJ, said: “We are increasingly concerned that the cumulative impact of this action is causing significant disruption and risk to patients… “We are extremely concerned that Christmas Day cover is insufficient to ensure appropriate levels of patient safety are being maintained across local health systems. This is particularly the case in the current period of industrial action, with three consecutive Christmas Day levels of service.” Although Christmas Day includes cover for emergency care, the officials said that in practice – with demand above Christmas Day levels, and with successive days and repeated strikes – it was not protecting patients needing urgent care. The letter, signed by NHSE leaders including chief medical officer Sir Steve Powis, and chief nurse Dame Ruth May, goes on: “Secondly, we are becoming increasingly concerned that combined periods of industrial action are impacting on our ability to manage individuals who require time-sensitive urgent treatment, for example cardiac, cancer or cardiovascular patients, or women needing urgent caesarean sections.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 3 October 2023 -
News Article
A public defibrillator may be a mile away in deprived areas
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
In the most deprived areas of England and Scotland, the nearest 24/7 accessible defibrillator is on average a round trip of 1.8 km away—over a mile—according to a pioneering study supported by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The researchers, led by Dr Chris Wilkinson, senior lecturer in cardiology at Hull York Medical School, used data from national defibrillator network The Circuit to calculate the median road distance to a defibrillator with unrestricted public access across Great Britain's 1.7 million postcodes. Among the 78,425 defibrillator locations included, the median distance from the centre of a postcode to a 24/7 public access defibrillator was 726.1 metres – 0.45 miles. In England and Scotland, the more deprived an area was, the farther its average distance from a 24/7-accessible defibrillator – on average 99 metres more in England, and 317 metres farther in Scotland for people living in the most compared with the least deprived areas. There was no link between defibrillator location and deprivation in Wales. The researchers said they hoped the findings, presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress in Amsterdam and published in the journal Heart, would lead to more equal access to defibrillators. They noted that there were over 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) annually in the UK; in England nearly 30% happened at weekends, and 40% between 6pm and 6am. Read full story Read research study: Automated external defibrillator location and socioeconomic deprivation in Great Britain (28 August 2023) Source: Medscape, 29 August 2023 -
News Article
GPs given freedom to order heart checks direct
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
GP practices in England will be able to order a host of checks directly to help speed up the diagnosis of a range of heart and respiratory conditions. Traditionally GPs refer to specialists when conditions like heart failure and lung problems are suspected. But the ability to direct refer, which was rolled out for cancer last year, is now being extended. GPs welcomed the move, but questioned whether there was sufficient testing capacity to cope. Royal College of GPs chair Prof Kamila Hawthorne said: "Any initiative to accelerate the process by which patients can be diagnosed and begin to receive any necessary treatment should be seen as positive." She said GPs had "long been calling" for better access to diagnostic tests. But she added: "For this initiative to be successful, it is vital that diagnostic capacity - both in terms of testing and people to conduct and interpret tests - is sufficient." Read full story Source: BBC News, 3 August 2023 -
Content Article
Planning pregnancy with aortic disease (leaflet)
Patient_Safety_Learning posted an article in Maternity
Pregnancy in women with aortic disease can be high risk. However, the risk can be reduced with the right care and planning. This leaflet developed by Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland, provides advice and guidance for women with aortic disease who are planning on having a baby. -
Content ArticleThe CVDPREVENT Audit has published its third annual audit report covering the audit period up to March 2022. The report provides insight into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on primary care services, when diagnosis and management of hypertension were significantly disrupted. It also compares the national position against key ambitions identified as milestones for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the detection and management of atrial fibrillation, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also includes findings relating to diagnoses of chronic kidney disease and diabetes, lifestyle and health inequalities, as well as a number of recommendations to support the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Key findings The prevalence of cardiovascular disease in adults in England was 6.0%. The prevalence increased with age and males were more likely than females to have the disease Prescription of anticoagulation drug therapy, for those with AF at high-risk of stroke, increased by one percentage point since March 2021 to 88.9% in March 2022 Nearly 20% of people with CVD did not have a recorded current prescription of lipid lowering therapy (secondary prevention).
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News Article
Millions urged to get free NHS check for ‘silent killer’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Millions of people are being urged to get checks for a condition which has been described as the “silent killer”. If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia. Up to 4.2 million people in England are thought to be living with high blood pressure without knowing it – around a third of all those with the condition. Now, a new NHS Get Your Blood Pressure Checked campaign has been launched, backed by health charities, to warn people the condition often has no symptoms. England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, said: “High blood pressure usually has no symptoms but can lead to serious health consequences. “The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get a simple, non-invasive blood pressure test. “Even if you are diagnosed, the good news is that it’s usually easily treatable. “Getting your blood pressure checked at a local pharmacy is free, quick and you don’t even need an appointment, so please go for a check today – it could save your life.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 11 March 2024 -
News Article
UK records highest annual cardiovascular deaths since 2008
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The rate at which people are dying early from heart and circulatory diseases has risen to its highest level in more than a decade, figures show. Data analysed by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) shows a reverse of previous falling trends when it comes to people dying from heart problems before the age of 75 in England. Since 2020, the premature death rate for cardiovascular disease has risen year-on-year, with the latest figures for 2022 showing it reached 80 per 100,000 people in England in 2022 – the highest rate since 2011 when it was 83. This is the first time there has been a clear reversal in the trend for almost 60 years. Between 2012 and 2019 progress slowed and, from 2020, premature death rates began to clearly rise, the data reveals. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the BHF and a consultant cardiologist, said: “We’re in the grip of the worst heart care crisis in living memory. “Every part of the system providing heart care is damaged, from prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery; to crucial research that could give us faster and better treatments. “This is happening at a time when more people are getting sicker and need the NHS more than ever. “I find it tragic that we’ve lost hard-won progress to reduce early death from cardiovascular disease.” Read full story Source: Medscape, 22 January 2024 -
EventuntilCardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity, disability and mortality in England and a significant driver of health inequalities. It disproportionately affects people in deprived and ethnic minority communities and accounts for one-fifth of the gap in life expectancy between most and least deprived areas. The King’s Fund report, Cardiovascular disease in England, highlights the need to prevent and manage CVD. CVD accounts for one in four of all deaths in England. The yearly health care costs related to CVD are estimated at £7.4 billion with an annual cost to the wider economy of £15.8 billion. At a time when the NHS and social care workforce and finances are facing unprecedented and rising pressures, urgent comprehensive action across the public health, health and care sectors is needed to significantly reduce the adverse health impacts of CVD and associated workloads and costs. Leaders and experts from across the NHS and its partners will gather to discuss how best to prioritise and deliver services to reduce the prevalence of CVD and its risk factors across the population, and to improve early detection, management and treatment of CVD and its risk factors. Register
