Poorest Scots almost twice as likely to die from heart disease

Age Scotland has welcomed a decline in heart disease and stroke mortality, but says more needs to be done to tackle health inequalities across Scotland.

New figures published today reveal the stark gap in death rates between the most and least deprived areas.

Deaths from heart disease fell by 32 per cent between 2009 and 2018, according to the latest figures from ISD Scotland.  But this decline has slowed in recent years, and there has been a slight increase in death rates from heart attacks since 2016.

During the same period, deaths from strokes and brain haemorrhages fell by 34 per cent, according to ISD Scotland.

People in the most deprived areas were almost twice as likely (89 per cent) to die from heart disease than in the least deprived between 2014 and 2018. They were 52 per cent more likely to die from a stroke in 2018.

Heart disease is still the biggest killer in Scotland, causing 6615 deaths in 2018. Cerebrovascular disease (including stroke) is the fourth leading cause of death, with 3835 in 2018.

NHS Highland had the lowest stroke incidence at 225 per 100,000 in 2018/19, while NHS Ayrshire and Arran had the highest (317 per 100,000 population).

Scotland still has significantly higher mortality rates for both diseases than the rest of the UK, although the gap has narrowed in the last four decades.

The risk of both increases with age, and they are most prevalent in the over-75 age group. Men are more likely to be affected than women.

Age Scotland’s Chief Executive Brian Sloan said: “The steady decline in heart disease and stroke mortality is good news, but there’s still no room for complacency.

“Both remain major killers across Scotland, which is still the 'sick man' of the UK. Many of these deaths could be prevented by addressing lifestyle factors, such as smoking, a poor diet and lack of exercise.

“There are also stark differences in death rates across Scotland. It’s unacceptable that people living in the least well-off areas are almost twice as likely to die from heart disease than those in wealthier areas.

“We urgently need more action to tackle this inequality and help everyone, no matter where they live, enjoy a healthier later life. We want to see more investment in prevention and education in the most deprived areas, as well as redoubling efforts to boost income for older people living in poverty.”