Heart disease is one of the main drivers of the continued rise in excess deaths seen since the pandemic, particularly in middle-aged adults, an analysis of UK data concluded.
Figures from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) showed that between June 2022 and June 2023, excess deaths among people aged 50 to 64 were 15% higher than normal.
For this age group, deaths related to cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke were 33% higher than expected, according to a commentary in the journal The Lancet Regional Health .
A closer look showed that deaths related to ischemic heart disease were 44% higher, cerebrovascular diseases 40% higher, and heart failure 39% higher.
Acute respiratory infections were also associated with a significant excess of deaths in the 50-64 age group (43% excess), as well as diabetes (35% excess).
Across all ages, deaths in private homes were 22 percent higher than expected and deaths from cardiovascular causes in private homes were 27 percent higher than expected, the authors said.
Overall, excess deaths were 11% higher than expected for people aged 25 to 49 and under 25, and only 9% higher for those over 65, according to the Department of Health and Care team. Social, the Office of National Statistics and Continuing Mortality. Research found.
The excess deaths in the data are likely to be related to the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic , including worsening pressures on NHS urgent care services. The detailed breakdown by age and cause was based on previous ONS reports which found more than 7% more deaths in 2022 compared to the five-year average. This more granular data can help inform disease prevention and management efforts, the authors said.
They noted that the current impact on younger age groups contrasts with the excess deaths observed in older adults in the acute phase of the pandemic.
Earlier this year, the British Heart Foundation also published analysis showing that almost more than 100,000 more people had died in England from cardiovascular disease than would be expected in the three years since the pandemic began.
Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, head of health analytics at LCP who contributed to the commentary, said: "Our commentary provides a data-driven review of the analytics with more detailed information than previously available to assess the factors that "drive the persistent excess deaths since the Covid-19 crisis."
“Since the summer of 2022-2023, excess deaths were most prominent in relative terms in middle-aged and younger adults, with deaths from heart disease and deaths in private households being the most affected.
"Granular information like this provides opportunities to mitigate what appears to be a continuing and unequal impact on mortality, and likely corresponding impacts on morbidity, across the population."
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, BHF associate medical director and consultant cardiologist, said: “These figures raise obvious concerns. A range of issues likely to drive persistent excess deaths from cardiovascular disease include constant and extreme pressure on the NHS.
“Long waits for cardiac care are dangerous: they put someone at higher risk of avoidable hospital admission, disability due to heart failure, and premature death. However, people are struggling to receive life-saving heart treatment when they need it due to a lack of NHS staff and sufficient, properly equipped space, despite cardiovascular disease affecting record numbers of people. .
"As more and more heart patients wait longer, it has never been more urgent for the government to provide heart disease prevention and reduce long waiting lists for people who need life-saving heart and stroke care, including through transformative and innovative care, and for the UK to drive scientific breakthroughs that unlock revolutionary new tests and treatments.’
