British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru explain how between 700 and 800 lives in Wales could be saved in 2035 alone if the next Welsh Government commit to reducing premature deaths from cardiovascular disease by 25% over the next decade.
Across Wales, it is estimated there are more than 400,000 people living with cardiovascular disease (CVD), causing around 9,300 deaths each year. While CVD deaths have fallen over the past seven decades, progress has stalled since the mid-2010s, with the most recent premature CVD mortality rates in Wales still above pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, the under-75 death rate from CVD was 17% higher in Wales than in England. Additionally, only 1 in 20 people in Wales survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), compared to 1 in 10 in Scotland and England. With an ageing population, and rising rates of obesity, projections for future CVD rates in Wales are concerning: if current trends continue, the prevalence of heart failure is projected to increase by 46% in Wales by 2033/34.
The next Welsh Government must take action to prevent Wales falling behind other UK nations on heart health. Ahead of the 2026 Senedd election, BHF Cymru is calling on all political parties to commit to a 25% cut in premature CVD death rates by 2035, as part of the Wales’ Hearts Need More campaign. If this target is met, BHF estimates that between 700 and 800 lives could be saved across Wales in 2035 alone.
In 2024, the under-75 death rate from CVD was 17% higher in Wales than in England.
In 2013, the World Health Organisation set a similar target in their Global Action Plan. This was to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (specifically cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases) by 25% by 2025 – acknowledging the need for action in this area on a global scale. Both BHF and UK Government committed to a fresh ambition in 2025, which focuses on CVD, with a target to reduce premature deaths by 25% within a decade.
Reducing the number of premature deaths is one of our best opportunities for tackling health inequalities, as CVD deaths are often considered avoidable before the age of 75. Whilst reducing CVD mortality at any age is important, it is much harder for older adults as the likelihood of dying from CVD naturally increases with age. For this reason, premature deaths are typically linked more strongly to social, economic, and environmental factors. Smoking prevalence, access to healthy foods, levels of physical activity and alcohol misuse are some of the factors which drive premature mortality from cardiovascular disease and are often influenced by levels of deprivation.
In Wales, the gap in premature mortality rates from CVD between the most and least deprived local authorities grew by over 20% from 2013/15 to 2020/22. If Wales is to succeed in becoming the world’s first Marmot Nation, the next Welsh Government must stop this gap from increasing, and reduce the number of avoidable CVD deaths across Wales. Committing to the 25% reduction target is a promising first step to achieving this, saving lives and easing pressures on the Welsh NHS by creating a healthier Wales for future generations.
Achieving a 25% reduction in premature CVD deaths is not just imperative for the health of Wales but a public mandate. In November 2025, BHF Cymru commissioned a YouGov survey which found that only 19% of the Welsh public believe the current Welsh Government is doing enough to tackle CVD, while overall 86% support the next Welsh Government adopting the 25% reduction target.
Syniadau uchelgeisiol, awdurdodol a mentrus.
Ymunwch â ni i gyfrannu at wneud Cymru gwell.
How can we achieve a reduction in premature CVD deaths in Wales?
To achieve the 25% reduction target in Wales, BHF Cymru have set out a clear plan. The BHF Cymru ‘Prescription for Welsh Hearts’ highlights three priority areas: prevention, care and insight. With action in each of these areas, we can begin to tackle the stagnating progress in reducing CVD deaths in Wales.
- Prevention: stopping cardiovascular disease before it starts
In September 2025, a CVD Prevention Plan was launched in Wales. This plan aims to raise awareness of CVD risk, support early identification of high-risk conditions and improve management and support following a diagnosis. It takes a wider approach to preventing ill-health and promoting wellness, also highlighting the need for healthier and more active lifestyles. The ambitions within the plan are promising, but it must be fully funded with an allocated CVD prevention budget, driven by bold political leadership, and upheld by transparent governance to ensure its delivery and impact.
Lessons must be learned from the Scotland CVD Risk Factors Programme, which received £10.5m funding from Scottish Government in 2025. The purpose of the programme is to identify people at high-risk of CVD and manage their symptoms. The service is delivered through primary care, and funding for GP surgeries is weighted towards areas of highest deprivation which means tackling health inequalities is at its heart.
- Care: ensuring everyone with cardiovascular disease has access to timely, equitable and person-centred care
A nationally recognised framework which sets out clear expectations, standards and accountability for cardiovascular care must be implemented in Wales to ensure improved patient outcomes. Whether this is a refreshed and more ambitious Quality Statement for Heart Conditions, or an alternative framework, there must be a structure in place beyond the next Senedd election.
To ensure such a framework is consistently delivered across Wales, a Cardiac Clinical Lead is essential. This position provides national oversight of the cardiac workforce, ensuring healthcare professionals are fully equipped and supported across the patient pathway. The Cardiac Clinical Lead position within the National Strategic Cardiac Network in NHS Performance and Improvement is currently vacant. We must see recruitment for this role at pace.
- Insight: strengthening cardiovascular data for better patient outcomes
There are significant data gaps in Wales which limit our ability to understand where CVD occurs, why it is happening and to identify areas for improvement. Without fundamental information, including whether conditions such as high blood pressure are being effectively managed, or how many out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) occur, we cannot help to prevent sudden cardiac events like heart attack and stroke, or improve Wales’ OHCA survival rates.
BHF estimates that between 700 and 800 lives could be saved accross Wales in 2035 alone.
Specifically, BHF Cymru are calling for the development of a primary care database which automatically collates data on the prevalence, management and treatment of high-risk conditions for CVD. This must be fully transparent and accessible beyond the NHS. With the ongoing development and delivery of the CVD Prevention Plan for Wales, this provides a timely and effective opportunity to improve CVD data collection within primary care.
In 2017, the Welsh Government committed to developing an OHCA registry. This would provide data insights into how many cardiac arrests are happening across Wales, where they are happening, and whether a public-access defibrillator or bystander CPR was featured. The long-overdue OHCA registry must be delivered to tackle the low OHCA survival rate.
Gofod i drafod, dadlau, ac ymchwilio.
Cefnogwch brif felin drafod annibynnol Cymru.
To prevent Wales falling behind on heart health and to create a healthier nation, political parties must commit to reducing premature CVD deaths by 25% over the next decade. By prioritising prevention, care and insight, we can tackle the stagnating progress in tackling cardiovascular disease, save lives and reduce pressures on the NHS in Wales.
Learn more about BHF Cymru’s Wales’ Hearts Need More campaign here.
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