Circulatory Diseases
8.44 Circulatory diseases are mainly strokes and heart disease. These are the largest single cause of death in the South West, accounting for about 36% of deaths from all causes in 2006. Prevention involves controlling high blood pressure, controlling obesity, taking adequate exercise and most importantly, not smoking. Over 18,000 people living in the South West died of circulatory disease during 2006. However, the South West had a lower SMR than England.
8.45 The standardised mortality rate for circulatory diseases fell by 45% in the South West between 1993 and 2006 and the number of deaths from circulatory disease fell by 32% between 1993 and 2006. Both stroke and heart disease have similar socio-demographic profiles, with higher rates in more disadvantaged groups. This is linked to health-related behaviour amongst lower socio-economic groups, such as a higher prevalence of smoking.