The impact of rising heart disease on the workforce

Latest figures show that 800,000 more UK adults are out of work due to health conditions than in 2019, a 40% rise, with projections suggesting another 600,000 could leave work by 2030 without intervention¹.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has called it the worst start to a decade for heart health in 50 years, with cardiovascular disease rising notably among working-age UK adults³.  Alongside this, research from the Institute for Public Policy Research in 2024 found that a cardiovascular diagnosis carries a 22 percent likelihood of leaving the labour market – higher than cancer or mental health conditions².

Deaths from heart disease among working-age adults aged 20 to 64 rose by 18% between 2019 and 2023, reaching nearly 22,000 a year according to the BHF³.

Cardiovascular disease covers a range of conditions affecting the heart and circulation, including coronary heart disease (angina and heart attacks), hypertension, stroke, heart failure and arrythmias (disturbances of the heart rhythm).

It is estimated that around 80% of heart disease deaths could be avoided with earlier intervention on known risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, physical inactivity, and diet.

More common conditions

Atrial fibrillation is the commonest and most clinically significant arrythmia seen in the UK – yet it remains widely underdiagnosed.

A 2025 review in the British Journal of Cardiology estimates that approximately 1.2 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with the condition⁴ – with the true number likely higher, as many cases go undetected.

“Atrial fibrillation is commonly caused by coronary heart disease, hypertension, and high alcohol intake. Although it typically causes symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and light headedness, many patients with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms and are unaware of it until they have a clinical examination and ECG. Atrial fibrillation is a leading cause of stroke and heart failure and so it’s important that it’s detected and treated effectively to reduce the risk of these complications,” says Dr Peter O’Connell, Chief Medical Officer at Dentists’ Provident.

What our claims show

In 2025 Dentists’ Provident, a leading income protection provider for the dental profession, paid out more than £200,000 in claims for cardiovascular diseases – mainly to members aged 50-59.

Many needed a significant period of time off work to recover from their heart conditions. What distinguishes cardiovascular claims from many others is the absence of any obvious trigger. An accident has a moment and a direct cause. A cardiac event often does not – or if it does, the warning signs were either missed or misread.

“One claim was from a dentist in their 50s, whose deteriorating cardiac issues required surgery followed by a period of recovery and rehabilitation. Our income protection plan supported them for over the three months they needed to make a successful return to work,” says Paul Roberts, Head of Claims at Dentists’ Provident.

In total 9 per cent of claims paid to male members last year were due to cardiovascular diseases – a higher proportion than females (2 per cent of cardiovascular claims).

Cardiovascular disease for dental professionals

Dental professionals are well-educated, medically trained and generally well aware of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease.

That awareness, combined with what tends to be an active lifestyle outside of work, means many dental professionals take their health seriously. But knowledge of risk factors is not the same as immunity from them.

“The key risk factors for coronary heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor diet, diabetes, raised BMI and physical inactivity. Some of these factors are modifiable and can be managed through lifestyle changes, unlike one’s genetic predisposition to heart disease. Over time, and with increasing age, these modifiable factors interact and drive the development of coronary disease.

With coronary disease progression, there may be warning signs, such as angina, breathlessness, and impaired exercise tolerance. However, around 40 to 50 per cent of heart attacks arise in individuals without warning and no prior symptoms,” says Dr O’Connell.

Work absence – and its impact

For someone aged 50 to 59, falling out of work due to ill-health is estimated to reduce lifetime earnings by over £200,000¹.

Recovery from a cardiac event is rarely straightforward. How quickly someone returns to work depends on how much cardiac muscle was damaged, how promptly treatment was received – but also very often linked to confidence.

“It takes time to rebuild confidence after an acute event, such as a heart attack. Frequently, patients feel significant impairment, which is disproportionate to objective investigations. Perceived impairment may in part be due to fear and whether stressful situations, including work, may trigger a catastrophic event. Low mood and associated health anxiety is commonly seen after heart attacks and can be helped by attending a cardiac rehabilitation course and possibly treatment from a GP. Following a heart attack, a return to work should take place in a phased fashion and with appropriate support to help restore confidence,” says Dr O’Connell.

Whatever stage you are at in your career, it is worth taking the time to consider your cardiovascular health and be aware of modifiable risk factors. Many of the conditions that we see in our claims data arrive without warning, in people who had considered themselves healthy.

 

References

1. Keep Britain Working review, 2025
2. IPPR, 2024
3. British Heart Foundation disease statistics, 2025
4. The British Journal of Cardiology, 2025
5. The Lancet, 2025