Cancer has overtaken cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, as the UK’s No 1 killer–but only among men, reveals research published online in the journal Heart
Findings:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. The 2013 Global Burden of Disease Study estimated that almost 30% of all deaths worldwide were caused by CVD. However, recent evidence from Europe suggests that in some countries cancer has overtaken CVD as the leading cause of death.Among men, cancer was the primary cause of death in 29% of cases while cardiovascular disease accounted for 28%. Among women however, heart diseases and stroke remained the number one enemy.
Cardiovascular disease includes coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, circulatory system disease, and other vascular/arterial disease. The analysis prompted that just short of 2.3 million people were living with some form of coronary heart disease in 2012. Around half a million were living with heart failure and a further 1.1 million were living with abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation).
Statistical Analysis:
England had the lowest prevalence of all cardiovascular conditions out of the four UK countries. But there were regional variations, with higher rates of cardiovascular disease in the North of England than in the South of the country. Scotland had the highest prevalence of coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease, while Wales had the highest prevalence of high blood pressure, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.
Around 2.3 million people in UK were living with some form of coronary heart disease in 2012. Around half a million were living with heart failure and a further 1.1 million were living with abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation).
Glasgow in Scotland recorded the highest death rates from cardiovascular disease for all ages, including premature deaths
Almost one in three deaths (32%) in men were caused by cancer compared with 29% for cardiovascular disease. The equivalent figures were 27% and 28%, respectively, for women. Cancer has overtaken CVD to become the main cause of death in a number of European countries, for example, in Belgium, Denmark and France.
