Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022: Preventing heart disease and stroke in Buckinghamshire

5. Summary and recommendations

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of ill health, disability and death in Buckinghamshire. It causes heart disease, strokes and the second commonest type of dementia. It is the major driver of the inequalities in death rates between people living in our most deprived and least deprived areas. Cardiovascular disease is also more common in our black and Asian populations and people with serious mental illness. Tackling cardiovascular disease and its risk factors is a top priority for reducing inequalities in health in Buckinghamshire and increasing life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.

The good news is that a sizeable proportion of cardiovascular disease can be prevented or delayed by tackling the risk factors identified in this report and ensuring uptake of effective treatments.