Vascular checks will prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes

A national programme to identify vulnerability to vascular diseases will prevent up to 9,500 heart attacks and strokes every year and save 2,000 lives, Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced today.

Everyone aged between 40 - 74 will be offered checks.

Collectively, vascular diseases - heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease - affect the lives of more than four million people and kill 170,000 every year. They also account for more than half the mortality gap between rich and poor.

Initial results from modelling work carried out by the Department shows that a vascular check programme would prevent 4,000 people a year from developing diabetes. It could also detect at least 25,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease earlier, allowing cases to be better managed and improving outcomes.

Alan Johnson said:

"As we look to the future of the NHS in its 60th anniversary year, our vision is to create a modern service that meets the unique challenges of today's society.

"The case for a national programme of vascular checks is compelling. We could prevent 9,500 heart attacks and strokes every year and save 2,000 lives. It would also reduce the health inequalities that blight the lives of the country's most deprived families."