More than 2 million Britons are at risk of dying early because they have at least one potentially fatal illness, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, as well as coronary heart disease.
Research has revealed that 90% of the 2.3 million patients in the UK who suffer from heart disease also have another condition that could shorten their life – a total of 2.07 million people. More than half (57%) of the 2.3 million have at least three “multi-morbidities†– a total of 1.31 million people.
For example, 1.26 million people – almost six in 10 of the 2.3 million – have high blood pressure as well as coronary heart disease. There are 579,000 with diabetes, 313,000 have suffered a stroke and 284,000 also have heart failure.
The NHS in England alone spends an estimated £7.4bn a year on treating cardiovascular disease, mainly heart attacks and strokes. But the wider economic impact of these conditions – which together are Britain’s biggest killer – has been put at £15.8bn.
The research was undertaken by the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Applied Health Research.
Its findings came as separate new findings showed that the number of patients living with heart and circulatory disease and at least five other illnesses rose sharply – from 6.3% to 24.3% – between 2000 and 2014. More
Nearest tube: Elephant & Castle underground station (Northern and Bakerloo lines).
Nearest Railway Station: Elephant & Castle
Buses from Elephant and Castle: ask bus driver for Burgess Park. Bus numbers: 12, 171, 148, 176, 68, 484, 42, 40, 45