PEOPLE in Blackpool are three times as likely to die young from heart disease than those living in the wealthiest part of England, a charity has warned. Analysis by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) shows the seaside resort has an under-75 death rate of 133 per 100,000, compared with just 40 in Hart, Hampshire - the least deprived area of the country. Manchester (125), Barking and Dagenham in East London (124), Nottingham (120) and Hull (118) also appeared on the ' heart disease hotspot' list.
Among the top 10 least deprived local authorities where early mortality are low are Waverley in Surrey (47), Mid Sussex (48), Elmbridge in Surrey (49) and St Albans in Hertfordshire (50). Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at the BHF, said: "It is shameful in this day and age that someone can be at much greater risk of dying young from cardiovascular disease just because of where they live and how much money they have. "We’re in the grip of a historic heart crisis.
Without urgent action, the heart health gap between the richest and poorest will continue to grow even wider. "More people will lose loved ones to heart disease through no fault of their own. "This isn’t a problem that can be solved overnight, but we can start making progress if politicians make heart disease a key health priority.
"This could save countless lives, helping to keep families together for longer in every community." The charity said more research is needed to fully understand the trend, but it was like.
