For the first time in several decades, fatalities are on the rise among adults under 65
Brits born after a certain date are now more likely to die from a deadly disease. “Worrying” data has shown that people born after 1960 are now more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.
For the first time in many decades, deaths due to cardiovascular diseases are increasing among adults under 65. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has analysed data which reveals that the UK’s heart health has declined more rapidly since the start of the 2020s than any other decade in over half a century.
There has been a rise in both the rate and number of deaths among working-age adults aged 20 to 64 due to cardiovascular disease. The rate increased to 55 deaths per 100,000 in 2023, up from 49 per 100,000 in 2019, marking the first sustained increase in at least a generation.
Deaths among working-age adults surged by 18 per cent, from 18,693 in 2019 to 21,975 in 2023, averaging 420 per week. Cardiovascular disease is a broad term that includes conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels.
These encompass heart attacks, strokes, coronary heart disease, and heart failure, among others. BHF experts have described this trend as “worrying”, following decades of progress where deaths from conditions such as heart attack and stroke had nearly halved since the 1960s.
This improvement was attributed to scientific research, advances in medicine, and falling numbers of smokers. The precise causes behind the recent rise in heart-related fatalities remain unclear, though several potential contributing elements have been suggested.
These encompass an increasing shift towards poor lifestyle choices, expanding health inequalities, the effects of COVID-19, unprecedented pressures on the NHS, and rising obesity levels. Following the release of these figures, the BHF announced a campaign designed to tackle cardiovascular disease throughout the UK.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, the BHF’s chief executive, 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 research revolution, we can reverse this worrying trend and save more lives than ever before. The BHF’s new strategy will be key to this, and the next step for us as we aim to save many more families the heartbreak of losing loved ones far too soon.”
The figures published by the BHF earlier this year reveal numerous rising patterns since 2020, including:
- A 21 per cent surge in heart failure diagnoses, with the number of patients reaching a new high of 785,000, up from 650,000
- Cases of heart arrhythmia, specifically atrial fibrillation, have risen by 10 per cent, marking a record 1.62 million people compared to the previous 1.48 million
- Diabetes diagnoses among adults have seen a 12 per cent increase, now affecting an alarming 4.6 million citizens, up from 4.1 million, highlighting that diabetes is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases
- Obesity rates are also climbing, with roughly 29 per cent of UK adults – equating to 16 million individuals – categorised as obese, which is an increase from the earlier figure of 27 per cent
- The NHS cardiovascular treatment waiting list in England has experienced an 82 per cent surge, standing at 421,683 by the end of February 2025, a stark rise from 232,082 at the beginning of the decade. Similar increases in cardiac patient queues have been noted in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland