Heart 2009;95:866-867
EDITORIALS
Vascular risk checks in the UK: strategic challenges for implementation
1 Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
2 Faculty of Science, Technology and Medical Studies, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
3 Department of Primary Care and General Practice, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
4 Department of Health Science, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
5 Department of Health, West Midlands, Birmingham, UK
Dr K C R Patel, Sandwell Hospital, Lyndon, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and University of Birmingham, West Bromwich B71 4HJ, UK; kiran.patel@westmidlands.nhs.uk
Accepted 17 March 2009
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
In the UK National Health Service (NHS), primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (which encompasses diabetes and renal disease too) is now achieving the status afforded to secondary prevention 10 years ago. The Department of Health vascular risk checks programme1 is welcomed to strategically reduce health inequalities, which are precipitated largely by cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are, in principle, preventable.2 In 2005 in England, there were 171 021 deaths from circulatory diseases (accounting for 40% of all deaths).3 Additionally, it is responsible for one-fifth of all hospital admissions and incurs an NHS expenditure of £30 billion annually. Therefore, prevention is beneficent not only to the individual but also to the wider economy. The government has recently recommended the introduction of a universal risk assessment and management programme for people aged 40 to 74 years.1 The magnitude of this task must not be underestimated, as a number of challenges will need
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