Heart attacks at strokes ‘set to soar 30% due to diabetes epidemic’, charity warns

HEART attacks and strokes will rocket over the coming years as the diabetes epidemic sweeping the nation takes its toll, a charity has warned.

The increase could be as high as 29 per cent by 2035, the British Heart Foundation has predicted.

It estimated that 39,000 people with diabetes will suffer a heart attack in 2035 — a rise of 9,000 on 2015.

Meanwhile, more than 50,000 people will have a stroke — a rise of 11,000.

Cases of angina and heart failure were also likely to soar, it warned.

The BHF said the number of people with diabetes in England was expected to increase from four million to five million in the next two decades.

This is partly due to obesity, which is leading to a sharp rise in cases of type 2 diabetes.

The charity said patients with type 2 diabetes were two to four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

BHF chief Simon Gillespie said: "Thanks to research we've made excellent progress in improving survival rates for heart attacks and strokes.

"However, today's figures point to an extremely worrying trend.

"People with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases and the expected surge in type 2 diabetes cases by 2035 could put thousands more people at risk of a deadly heart attack or stroke.

"We can only reverse this trend by taking bold action to tackle obesity and inactivity, especially amongst young people.

"This must include consideration of further regulatory action to reduce sugar and fat content in food, and to curb junk food advertising directed at young children.

"The food industry is not acting quickly enough to re-formulate its products, despite mounting evidence of their impact on the nation's health.

"We also need continued research that will enable us to better understand how diabetes leads to these deadly heart and circulatory conditions, and how we can stop it."

Sarah Miles, who has diabetes, had to give up her nursing career after suffering a heart attack at just 38.

The now 43-year-old from Cheddar, Somerset, said: "Living with diabetes is difficult, but to then have a heart attack was a total shock.

"The attack led to heart failure which has severely limited my quality of life.

"I've had to give up my nursing career, my social life and my family dynamic has totally changed forever.

"To think that these conditions are on the rise is extremely worrying, and people need to be aware of how they can prevent them in the first place.

"I was also surprised by how little my doctors knew about the connection between my diabetes and heart problems, which shows the real need for research into new treatments."

The best way to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes is to exercise regularly, eat a balanced, healthy diet and maintain a healthy body mass index.

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