“Worrying” new data has shown that people born after 1960 are now more likely to die from a lethal disease. For the first time in several decades, fatalities from cardiovascular diseases are on the rise among adults under 65.

Data scrutinised by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) revealed that the UK’s heart health has deteriorated more rapidly at the onset of the 2020s than any other decade in more than half a century. There has been an increase in both the rate and number of deaths among working-age adults aged 20 to 64 due to cardiovascular disease.

The rate escalated to 55 deaths per 100,000 in 2023, up from 49 per 100,000 in 2019, marking the first sustained surge in at least a generation. Deaths among working-age adults rose by 18 per cent, from 18,693 in 2019 to 21,975 in 2023, averaging 420 per week.

Cardiovascular disease is a broad term encompassing conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels. These include heart attacks, strokes, coronary heart disease, and heart failure, among others.

BHF experts have labelled this trend as “worrying”, following decades of progress where deaths from conditions such as heart attack and stroke had nearly halved since the 1960s. This progress was credited to research, medical advancements, and declining smoking rates.

The exact reasons behind the recent increase in cardiovascular deaths remain uncertain, yet several contributing factors have been speculated upon. These include a growing trend towards unhealthy lifestyles, widening disparities in health, the impact of COVID-19, unparalleled strains on the NHS, and an upturn in obesity figures.

Find out about the symptoms you need to watch out for and get health advice with our free health newsletter from the Daily Express

In response to these disturbing statistics, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has launched an ambitious new initiative aimed at countering heart diseases across the UK. Dr Charmaine Griffiths, BHF’s Chief Executive, said: “It’s been the worst start to a decade for heart health for half a century, but we’re entering an era of immense scientific opportunity that can turn this tide.

“By driving a research revolution, we can reverse this worrying trend and save more lives than ever before. The BHF’s new strategy will be key to this, and the next step for us as we aim to save many more families the heartbreak of losing loved ones far too soon.”

The charity, in coordination with the Government, collaborators, and benefactors, is committed to:

• Reimagine how the UK prevents heart diseases through embracing advances in areas like data science, artificial intelligence and behavioural sciences to detect and treat those at risk much earlier
• Significantly increase investment in UK cardiovascular research, including by translating more discoveries made in UK universities to treatments trialled and rolled out across the health service
• Ensure UK health systems radically improve the care and support people with heart conditions receive, including finding new and innovative ways to help people better manage their health and live well for longer.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) added: “We will also continue to campaign for governments across the UK to act in the best interests of the country’s heart health.”

Worrying statistics released by the BHF highlight several upward trends since 2020, including:

• A 21 per cent increase in heart failure diagnoses, reaching a new peak of 785,000 patients, surging from 650,000
• Heart arrhythmia cases, specifically atrial fibrillation, have climbed by 10 per cent, registering a record number of 1.62 million people compared to the previous 1.48 million
• Diabetes diagnoses among adults have jumped by 12 per cent, now affecting a staggering 4.6 million citizens, up from 4.1 million, noting that diabetes is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases
• Obesity rates are on the rise, with approximately 29 per cent of UK adults – equating to 16 million individuals – classified as obese, which shows an increase from the earlier figure of 27 per cent
• England’s NHS cardiovascular treatment waiting list has seen an 82 per cent surge, standing at 421,683 by the end of February 2025, a stark rise from 232,082 at the beginning of the decade. Similar increases in cardiac patient queues have been observed in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.