Heart death risk higher in north

Heart disease is a major killer

People in the north of the UK are still more likely to die from coronary heart disease than their southern counterparts, statistics show.

The British Heart Foundation's figures show the premature death rate from CHD increases the further north you go.

The highest rate is in Scotland, then in north-east and north-west England and the lowest in south-west England.

Scottish men are 67% more likely than those in the south west to die before the age of 75.

The gap is not narrowing, despite efforts made in recent years to improve public health in those areas most in need Professor Peter Weissberg

For women the comparison is even starker. Scottish women are a massive 84% more likely to die prematurely than their counterparts in the south west.

See full death rates across the UK

Wales is also a hotspot, with a higher death rate than the average for England.

The figures are released in the same week that cancer statistics revealed a similar north-south divide.

Professor Peter Weissberg, BHF medical director, said: "The north-south divide in death rates has been a problem for decades and it is concerning that the gap is not narrowing, despite efforts made in recent years to improve public health in those areas most in need."

Biggest killer

The latest BHF statistics, compiled from 2003 death rates, show that the number of people dying from CHD is falling, but it remains the UK's single biggest killer, claiming nearly 114,000 lives that year.

Nearly 27,700 men died prematurely from CHD in the UK in 2003.

In the 10 years from 1994, the number of men living with CHD has increased from 6% to 7.4% of the adult population.

In women the number has increased from 4.1% to 4.5%.

There are now an estimated 2.6m people in the UK facing life with heart disease.

Professor Weissberg said it was unclear why there was such a pronounced regional variation in death rates.

"It is likely to be a combination of factors, such as lifestyle, social inequalities and healthcare provision," he said.

"The good news is that most of the risk factors are potentially modifiable, which provides hope that these inequalities can be tackled."

Figures show that smoking rates are higher in Scotland, than in Wales or England.

People in Scotland and the north of England drink more than those in the south.

And people in southern England also eat more fruit and vegetables than elsewhere in the UK.

Government response

A Department of Health spokesperson said huge progress had been made since the launch of the National Service Framework for coronary heart disease in March 2000.

"The death rate from heart disease and stroke among under 75s has fallen by 27.1%, saving an estimated 100,000 lives since 1996.

"The statistics also show that there is more work to be done to further reduce the inequality gap between the best and the worst areas, and this is already under way.

"The gap between the worst-hit areas of the country and the rest of the country has been narrowing - a 22% reduction in the absolute gap since 1996."

An additional £500m has been allocated to 88 Primary Care Trusts in areas of high deprivation with high levels of premature death from CHD.

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Premature deaths from coronary heart disease, 2003
Country/region	Men (per 100,000)	Women (per 100,000)
Scotland	244	90
North East England	224	82
North West England	220	72
Wales	206	72
Yorks and Humber	201	66
Northern Ireland	195	65
West Midlands	195	69
East Midlands	189	64
London	189	61
East	151	47
South East	151	46
South West	146	49
England average	181	60
UK average	189	65
Source: British Heart Foundation