Trends in the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in the UK

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a significant health burden in the UK, encompassing both mortality and morbidity.
• While CVD mortality rates are declining, understanding secular trends in disease burden, treatment, and outcomes remains crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze secular trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, morbidity, and treatment across the UK.
• To investigate disparities in CVD burden and outcomes between genders and constituent countries of the UK.

Main Methods:

• Utilized national datasets spanning multiple years for mortality, hospital admissions, and prevalence data.
• Calculated age-standardized mortality rates using UK national statistics agency data.
• Analyzed National Health Service (NHS) records for hospital admissions and Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF) data for prevalence.

Main Results:

• Total CVD mortality in the UK declined by 68% between 1980 and 2013, with similar trends for coronary heart disease and stroke.
• Coronary heart disease prevalence remained stable in England (around 3%) and slightly higher in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (around 4%).
• Hospital admissions for CVD increased by over 46,500 between 2010/11 and 2013/14, with a disproportionate rise in male admissions. CVD prescriptions and operations also increased.

Conclusions:

• Despite a notable decline in CVD mortality for both men and women, hospital admissions have risen, indicating a shifting disease burden.
• CVD prevalence shows little change, suggesting ongoing challenges in disease management or prevention.
• Improvements in CVD outcomes are not uniform across the UK's constituent countries or between genders, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.