The British Regional Heart Study – heart disease and disability in later life

The British regional heart study: a resource for studying the causes, pathways and prevention of cardiovascular disease and disability among older British men

This is the next instalment of a vital four-decade study of heart health in British men. Despite the fact that we have an ageing population, the elderly have been under-represented in studies of heart and circulatory diseases. This means we don’t know enough about caring for older people with these conditions. Better evidence could help to prevent or delay the onset of disease in later life, and help people with heart and circulatory diseases to live well for longer. In 1978, the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) began collecting health and lifestyle information from nearly 8,000 middle-aged men across 24 UK towns. They’ve been assessed regularly ever since, aged on average 50, 70, 80 and 88. This has provided a vital resource studying heart and circulatory disease risk in men. With this funding – the latest in the BHF’s long-term support for the study – and with the ongoing help of the surviving participants, the analysis will now extend into later life. The BRHS will provide insights that could prevent or delay the onset of heart and circulatory diseases in later life. It will also help us to understand why and how people with these conditions are more likely to become frail or disabled. This could help many people to not only live longer with a better quality of life and greater independence, but to also improve the management of heart and circulatory diseases.