Diseases of the heart and circulatory system (cardiovascular disease or CVD) are the main cause of death in the UK, accounting for just under 238,000 deaths in 2002. More than 39% of people die from CVD. (1)
CVD is one of the main causes of premature death in the UK (death before age 75). 35% of premature deaths in men and 27% of premature death in woman are caused by CVD. CVD caused 67,000 premature deaths in 2002. (1)
Death rates from coronary heart disease in the UK are among the highest in the world. (1)
There are close to 60,000 deaths due to stroke each year. (2a)
After Heart Disease & Cancer, Stroke is the most common form of death in England & Wales. (2b)
Cancer is the cause of 26% of the deaths in the UK. (3)
Today in the UK over 1000 people will die. (4)
Sources:
(1) British Heart Foundation Statistics Database 2003.
(2) The Stroke Association, (a) ONS Mortality Statistics: Cause 1998. (b) The Stroke Association, ONS Mortality Statistics: Cause 1996.
