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‘An unacceptable inequality’: Manchester named England’s heart disease death capital as north continues to suffer

People living in Manchester are more likely to die prematurely from heart disease than anywhere else in England, according to the British Heart Foundation.

Four times as many Mancunians meet their early end due to cardiovascular issues compared to those in Hampshire, who have the lowest number of cardiovascular deaths in the country.

The charity claims that there is an ‘unacceptable’ divide in the heart health of the nation with their latest study clarifying serious inequalities across the country.

BHF chief executive Simon Gillespie said: “These figures are a stark reminder of the unacceptable number of people that lose their lives to cardiovascular disease every year, often increased by the place they live.

“With the help of our supporters, we’ll increase investment and accelerate our world-class research that could save the lives of more people that die prematurely.”

The research found that 133 people out of every 100,000 under the age of 75 perish prematurely as a result of heart and circulatory diseases in Manchester.

This is compared to just 35 people every 100,000 in the leafy district of Hart in Hampshire. 

In the UK, Manchester comes second only to Glasgow as other high death rate cities include Blackpool, Dundee and Inverclyde.

The places with the best record for heart disease according to the charity are the southern areas of Winchester, South Cambridgeshire, Mole Valley, Surrey and Waverley.

Heart disease is one of the UK’s biggest killers accounting for one in four deaths and everyday 100 people under the age of 75 take their last breath because of it.

Simon added: “There is still so much more we need to do. We’ve made huge progress in the fight against cardiovascular disease, with 70% of heart attack victims now surviving to go home to their families.

“We remain determined to win the fight against cardiovascular disease, improving the lives of the seven million people living with it and saving those that currently die too young.”

Image courtesy of Carling Hale, with thanks

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