Heart attack death rates halve in a decade

It’s believed the dramatic decline in heart attack fatalities is due to fewer people smoking, as well as better treatment in hospitals for those who do suffer a heart attack.

Researchers from the Oxford University analysed data for England from 2002 to 2010.

They looked at around 840,000 patients who were admitted to hospital for a heart attack or who died suddenly from one.

Of those who had an attack during the eight-year period, 73 per cent were 65 or older, 61 per cent were men, and 36 per cent of heart attacks resulted in death.

Over the eight-year period, the death rate fell steadily, with a 50 per cent drop in men and a 53 per cent drop in women. The number of heart attacks also fell by a third.

In Scotland, when we saw smoking banned in public spaces, we saw a rapid drop in the number of heart attacks in just weeks. Dr Kevin Fox, Cardiologist

Researchers writing in the British Medical Journal said the fall was almost equally attributed to both a decline in deaths and fewer new heart attacks.

Smoking ban caused ‘rapid drop’

Cardiologist Dr Kevin Fox, from the British Cardiovascular Society, told Channel 4 News that better management of risk factors such as smoking is the leading factor behind the fall in death rates.

“The big prevention factor has been smoking. Smoking not only causes heart disease, which can cause a heart attack, but it can also cause the cracking or tearing of the artery. And it’s not something that just produces results in the long-term.

“Certainly in Scotland, when we saw smoking banned in public spaces, we saw a rapid drop in the number of heart attacks in just weeks,” Dr Fox said.

He also points to better treatment by health services who are able to keep people alive after they have an attack.

“It’s two-fold; people are having less heart attacks, but we’re also stopping those that do have an attack from dying. There’s now a network of centres trained to recognise heart attacks and get people in and treated.”

Read more: Scientists discover 'DIY repair mechanism' in hearts

Rising rates of obesity and diabetes

But he told Channel 4 News that there needs to be more of a focus on the younger age group amid rising rates of obesity and diabetes, a significant factor in heart disease.

He said “much more needs to be done” to further lower the rate of heart disease-related deaths in future years.

“Just because these figures show a dramatic reduction in heart attack deaths, it does not mean it’s a problem solved. There may be some plateauing in the reduction of deaths caused by heart attacks. But it won’t level off unless we stop doing the right things. We still haven’t done as much as we can,” he said.

‘Impressive fall’

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation – which funded the study – said the fall was due to more people taking better care of their overall health and quitting smoking.

“This impressive fall in death rates is due partly to prevention of heart attacks by better management of risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol and due partly to better treatment of heart attack patients when they reach hospital.

“But far too many heart attack victims still die from a cardiac arrest before medical help arrives,” he said.

He said many deaths could be prevented if bystanders performed “hands-only” CPR if they saw somebody suffering a cardiac arrest.

The hands-only method is part of a new Heart Foundation campaign to encourage people to pump on a victim’s chest to the beat of Stayin’ Alive without giving mouth-to-mouth.

What to do if you suspect a heart attack
Cardiologist Dr Kevin Fox has this advice if you or someone close to you is having a suspected heart attack.

He told Channel 4 News if you or someone else experiences severe or unpleasant pressure in the chest or arm that lasts for more than 20 minutes, call 999 immediately.

“It tends to happen to people at risk, but it can happen to anyone. Don’t be a hero. Seek medical advice immediately.”