May 19, 2025 – Northern Ireland — Heart-related illnesses have reached record levels in Northern Ireland, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned.
New figures from the charity reveal a sharp rise in key conditions since 2020. Cases of heart failure increased by 12%, atrial fibrillation rose 14%, and diabetes—an important risk factor for heart disease—grew by 10%.
In 2023, Northern Ireland recorded 4,227 deaths from heart and circulatory diseases, the highest number since 2012. Among these deaths, 1,133 were people under 75 years old, including 500 working-age adults. This equates to roughly 10 working-age deaths every week.
The BHF also highlighted obesity as a major concern, with nearly 28% of adults in Northern Ireland classified as obese.
Waiting lists for heart surgeries and treatments have also grown. At the end of 2024, nearly 30% more patients were waiting for care than in 2019.
The charity attributes the decline in heart health to several factors, including unhealthy lifestyles, widening health inequalities, the impact of Covid-19, pressure on the NHS, and “a lack of meaningful, coordinated action” to tackle key issues like obesity.
To address these challenges, the BHF has launched a new strategy. The plan calls for greater investment in advanced research fields such as artificial intelligence, data science, and genomics. The goal is to improve prevention, enhance treatment, save lives, and reduce the strain on healthcare services.
Fearghal McKinney, Head of BHF Northern Ireland, said the region is at a “tipping point in cardiovascular health” but expressed hope that the new strategy “can turn this tide.”
“By driving a research revolution, we can reverse this worrying trend and save more lives than ever before,” McKinney said. “The BHF’s new strategy will be key to this, helping to spare many families the heartbreak of losing loved ones too soon.”
A BHF spokesperson added that the charity will continue campaigning for the Northern Ireland Executive to take stronger action to protect heart health in the country.
Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the BHF, stressed that technology will play a crucial role in transforming heart care.
“Research-driven innovation has been one of the great success stories of modern medicine in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease,” he said.
“Yet heart disease remains one of the biggest and most preventable causes of premature death and illness.
“Reimagining prevention and treatment methods is vital to improving the nation’s health.
“By 2035, the BHF aims to prevent 125,000 heart attacks and strokes, reduce early deaths from cardiovascular disease by 25%, and cut the number of years lost to heart-related illness by 25%.”
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