Diabetes linked to one-third of cardiovascular deaths - audit

Almost a third of deaths from cardiovascular disease in England occur in people with diabetes, according to analysis by a leading charity.

- Tobi Thomas

Of the total 144,590 deaths from cardiovascular disease in 2022 in England, 29% occurred in people with diabetes, according to analysis of the National Diabetes Audit by the charity Diabetes UK. This figure has risen dramatically. In 2009, only 15% of cardiovascular disease deaths occurred in people with diabetes, of a total 147,820 deaths.

The report also found the UK spends £10.7bn annually on diabetes care, with that figure set to rise to £18bn by 2035. In addition, just 61.3% of people received all the recommended care checks for people living with diabetes in 2023/24, with more than a third missing at least one.

An estimated 5.8 million people across the UK are living with diabetes, 90% of whom have type 2.