Health experts have warned that thousands of Brits could be at risk for an “early death” as new figures show the number of people waiting for vital heart care is at a record high. The latest data from NHS England show that patients waiting over four months for time-critical heart care rose to 169,066 in June this year in England alone.
This latest rise means that 40 percent of people on the cardiac care waiting list in England are waiting longer than the maximum target treatment time of 18 weeks.
The longer people wait for treatment, the higher their risk of becoming disabled from heart failure or dying prematurely, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned.
This was the eighth consecutive month that the cardiac waiting list rose, as it now totals 426,460, an increase of over 5,000 on the previous month.
Doctor Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director and consultant cardiologist at the BHF, said: “Long waits for time-critical heart care put people at risk of life-long heart failure or even early death.
“That’s why it is so alarming that we keep seeing more people on waiting lists, and now 40 per cent of people are waiting longer than they should.
“We cannot and must not become numb to this heart care crisis. Action is needed now to prevent more avoidable loss of life. Patients and their families need to see a comprehensive heart disease action plan from Government that ensures cardiovascular care is fit for the future.”
The charity is now calling on the Government to prioritise cardiovascular disease and put in place a heart disease action plan, with more than 40,000 having signed an online pledge.
Symptoms of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is among the biggest causes of death in the UK as well as the world. It is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels.
The most common of these conditions, according to the NHS, are coronary heart disease, strokes and peripheral artery disease.
Like any condition, the sooner you spot the telltale signs, the sooner you can seek the treatment you need.
The BHF lists the key signs of cardiovascular disease as:
- Chest pain
- Pain, weakness or numb legs and/or arms
- Breathlessness
- Very fast or slow heartbeat, or palpitations
- Feeling dizzy, lightheaded or faint
- Fatigue
- Swollen limbs.
If you experience any of these symptoms you should speak to your GP.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include:
- Smoking
- Stress
- Alcohol
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Being physically inactive
- Being overweight or obese
- Diabetes
- Family history of heart disease
- Ethnic background
- Sex – men are more likely to get cardiovascular disease earlier than women
- Age – the older you are, the more likely you are to get cardiovascular disease.
