Covid is probably part of the reason for more people dying due to an irregular heartbeat this year, an expert has said.
Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London (UCL), commented on new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggesting deaths due to an irregular heartbeat are likely to be one of the reasons more people than usual have been dying in the first half of 2022.
She also said poor access to NHS care could be a factor driving up deaths.
The number of deaths registered in England and Wales due to cardiac arrhythmias was well above average for much of the first half of 2022, according to the ONS.
Deaths in this category had the second highest excess mortality figures in March and April, up from being the eighth highest in February and the fourth highest in January.
Excess deaths, or extra deaths, are the number of deaths that are above the long-term average for a particular week or month of the year.
Covid is probably part of the reason for more people dying due to an irregular heartbeat this year, an expert has said.
We’ve updated our analysis of excess deaths.
In England and Wales, the total number of excess deaths due to all causes registered between March 2020 and June 2022 was 137,447 https://t.co/upkgiLVbB4.
Of these:
87,358 were males
50,089 were females
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) September 20, 2022
Read More: Covid and poor access to NHS care ‘may be driving irregular heartbeat deaths’