A medical professional speaking to a patient

Broken hearted: A spotlight paper on cardiovascular disease

Article

Progress on cardiovascular disease was a significant driver of better health and prosperity in the latter half of the 20th century, however progress has recently stalled – with indications it may be in reverse.

Stalling progress on cardiovascular disease costs lives, but also undermines individual and national prosperity: that is, it costs lives and livelihoods. New analysis for this report finds that cardiovascular disease is one of the most prevalent conditions among those economically inactive due to sickness.

There are signs that the UK could be doing far better. Had we matched European peers since 2010 on acute myocardial infarction mortality, our analysis predicts we would have observed around 30,000 fewer deaths in the decade beginning 2020.

In the interest of health, wellbeing, prosperity, and fairness, we need to raise our ambition on cardiovascular disease.

Related items

  1. The snack aisle at a supermarket

    A ‘polluter pays’ industry levy could help our food become healthier

    No government will truly be able to tackle the UK’s productivity problems and secure the future of the NHS without addressing obesity.

  2. Our greatest asset: The final report of the IPPR Commission on Health and Prosperity

    The nation’s health challenges have reached historic proportions, and change is needed.

  3. On the horizon: Realising the value of vaccines

    Vaccines offer vast improvements to public health and economic stability, but England’s limited approach to innovation could slow the adoption of new immunization technologies and hinder these gains.