Jules Payne
Chief Executive, HEART UK – The Cholesterol Charity
Learn the alarming statistics, economic impact and cost-effective power of cardiovascular disease prevention. Help reduce incidence rates in the UK.
An estimated 6.4 million people are living with cardiovascular disease (CVD). One of the leading causes of CVD is high cholesterol, which affects almost half the UK’s adult population.
Why do we need to reduce CVD?
Around 125,445 people died from CVD in 2021, and 30% of these deaths were premature. That makes it the second biggest killer in England, and rates are worryingly increasing. If we continue on this path, the impact on the health system and wider society will be devastating. Evidently, current approaches to tackling the issue aren’t working. We need to reverse this by doing things differently.
How does CVD impact the NHS and wider economy?
The cost to the NHS is high — around £1,137,819,050 per year. When coupled with the wider economic impact, this increases to an estimated £2,481,876,050.
Focusing on CVD prevention
There is hope. The NHS already pays for prevention in numerous ways, including the NHS Health Check Programme and use of cholesterol-lowering therapies (eg. statins). These have an estimated annual cost of £235,663,426.28. Increasing this would reduce the number of CVD events.
Tests are often available through pharmacies, some
community locations or through your GP practice.
How prevention can pay
If the NHS were to increase spending on prevention, it would generate significant savings over the longer term. HEART UK analysis suggests that doubling prevention spending to £471,326,852.56 could save around £2,010,549,197.44 per year through reduced CVD events, effectively paying for itself.
Are there other costs or savings?
Beyond financial savings, a more comprehensive approach to prevention would also save emotional heartbreak for families. Sadly, these costs are difficult to accurately measure. The costs can be significant for families, especially after an unexpected heart attack or stroke. If a family member cannot work for some time or ever again, or need care, what then? With increasing pressure on the care system, the onus falls inevitably on families to provide additional care.
What action can you take?
Cholesterol is a silent killer. It’s important to know and understand your numbers so that you can take appropriate action. Get tested, especially if you have had a heart attack or stroke or have early (under 60) heart disease in your family. Tests are often available through pharmacies, some community locations or through your GP practice. After all, this is manageable, and we are all responsible for our own CVD health.
For more information, contact HEART UK.
