More than four out of 10 adults in Europe (42%) are risk of structural heart disease by 2040 if detection and treatment does not improve, a study has warned.
The report by the think-tank The International Longevity Centre (ILC) has also concluded that age, socio-economic status, gender, ethnicity, and geographical location can significantly reduce the likelihood of being diagnosed and receiving treatment.
The report, Holding us back? Tackling inequalities in the detection and treatment of structural heart disease in Europe, concluded that, across 11 European countries, women are less likely to regularly receive a heart check with a stethoscope by their GP than men. In total, 24.2% women received heart checks versus 31.3% of men.
In the UK, valvular heart disease, one of the most common forms of structural heart disease, was twice as likely to go undiagnosed in the most deprived socio-economic groups than in the most affluent group.
Across 57 countries (including in Europe, central Asia and North Africa) mitral valve disease was nearly five times as high in middle-income countries as in high-income countries.
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Structural heart disease affects the heart’s walls, muscles, and blood vessels. While most types of the disease can be successfully treated, many people are diagnosed too late or don’t receive adequate treatment leading to a high mortality rate and reduced quality of life, particularly in older adults.
Without improvements in detection and treatment, the ILC estimated the number of older adults with SHD would rise from 14 million to 20 million by 2040 in Europe, or a 42% increase.
“In East Yorkshire, people from rural areas and more deprived areas tend to present later and this can mean they have more advanced disease,” highlighted Dr Raj Chelliah, consultant cardiologist at Hull University Teaching Hospitals, UK.
“We also have very small numbers of people from Black or Asian backgrounds coming through for treatment, which could mean they are not being diagnosed in time or not presenting to primary care,” he added.
Arunima Himawan, senior health research lead at the ILC, said: “We have the tools to treat structural heart disease. But if we’re not detecting the disease early on, they’re useless.
“Too many older adults – especially from underserved communities – are needlessly dying and suffering from the condition. As our growing older adult population becomes increasingly diverse, policymakers will have to think more strategically about how to ensure everyone, not only the privileged few, benefits from living not just longer but healthier lives.”
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