This website is intended for UK Healthcare Professionals only. Other UK residents please visit astrazeneca.co.uk

Prescribing information can be found in the middle of the page and adverse event reporting information at the bottom of the page.

Cardiovascular disease: a growing concern

Cardiovascular conditions are increasingly affecting the UK population, with profound implications for public health and quality of life. However, these conditions are often underdiagnosed, which can lead to delayed interventions and poorer outcomes.^1,2

Our cardiovascular focus areas

We are committed to improving treatment and research in cardiovascular health and heart failure.

In total, it’s estimated that over 1 million people are living with heart failure, with around 200,000 new diagnoses of heart failure every year in the UK.³

Heart failure ranks among the top causes of hospitalisation, with more than 100,000 hospital admissions each year having the primary diagnosis of heart failure. Admissions for heart failure are largely preventable and are a significant financial burden on the NHS.⁴

Our ultimate goal is to reduce unplanned hospital admissions for heart failure, thereby alleviating the health service burden during critical times.

Explore AstraZeneca’s options for managing heart failure:

FORXIGA^® (dapagliflozin)

FORXIGA® (dapagliflozin) is indicated in adults for the treatment of symptomatic chronic heart failure.

FORXIGA® (dapagliflozin) Prescribing Information

Certain medications used to treat heart failure, particularly renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi), can lead to hyperkalaemia.⁵

This condition can disrupt a patient's eligibility for guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure, as high potassium levels can increase the risk of serious cardiac events and complicate treatment plans.⁶

Explore AstraZeneca’s options for managing hyperkalaemia:

LOKELMA^® (sodium zirconium cyclosilicate)

LOKELMA® (sodium zirconium cyclosilicate) is indicated for the treatment of hyperkalaemia in adult patients

LOKELMA® (sodium zirconium cyclosilicate) Prescribing Information

Impact on quality of life and the healthcare system

People living with cardiovascular conditions often experience a decline in their overall physical wellbeing and quality of life, impacting their ability to perform daily activities and maintain independence.^7,8 Cardiovascular conditions, such as heart failure, can also result in frequent hospitalisations and premature death.^4,5

There are around 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases. An ageing and growing population along with improved survival rates from heart and circulatory events could see these numbers rise further.³

Our commitment to helping HCPs improve patient outcomes

At AstraZeneca, we recognise the urgent need to address this growing cardiovascular health challenge, and are committed to:

Improving early detection
Providing better long-term health outcomes and enhanced quality of life for patients across the UK
Reducing the burden on healthcare systems

Research and innovation

Our medicines offer solutions for patients and clinicians alike in helping to improve day-to-day life and long-term outcomes, and our dedication to improving cardiovascular health extends beyond our current portfolio. Through ongoing research and development, we are actively working on novel treatments that target the underlying drivers of cardiometabolic diseases.

Conrad N, Molenberghs G, Verbeke G, Zaccardi F, Lawson C, Friday JM, et al. Trends in cardiovascular disease incidence among 22 million people in the UK over 20 years: population based study. BMJ. 2024 Jun 26;385:e078523.
Bottle A, Kim D, Aylin P, Cowie MR, Majeed A, Hayhoe B. Routes to diagnosis of heart failure: observational study using linked data in England. Heart. 2018 Apr;104(7):600–5.
British Heart Foundation. UK Factsheet. Available from: https://www.bhf.org.uk/-/media/files/for-professionals/research/heart-statistics/bhf-cvd-statistics-uk-factsheet.pdf?rev=8eaa5fd7024142ce99bfccede2c04f72&hash=56FADE911BEDB7A6526F2690AC61B2B9
The British Heart Foundation. Heart Failure: A Blueprint for Change. Available from: https://www.bhf.org.uk/-/media/files/health-intelligence/heart-failure-a-blueprint-for-change.pdf?rev=f89dedb7c933452e8086cc063ff98c26
Jun M, Jardine MJ, Perkovic V, et al. Hyperkalemia and renin-angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitor therapy in chronic kidney disease: A general practice-based, observational study. PLoS One. 2019;14(3):e0213192. Published 2019 Mar 7. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0213192
Zhang, Z., Wang, C., Tu, T., Lin, Q., Zhou, J., Huang, Y., Wu, K., Zhang, Z., Zuo, W., Liu, N., Xiao, Y., & Liu, Q. (2024). Advancing Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy in Heart Failure: Overcoming Challenges and Maximizing Benefits. American journal of cardiovascular drugs: drugs, devices, and other interventions, 24(3), 329–342. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40256-024-00646-4
Djärv T, Wikman A, Lagergren P. Number and burden of cardiovascular diseases in relation to health-related quality of life in a cross-sectional population-based cohort study. BMJ Open [Internet]. 2012 Oct 25;2(5). Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001554
Forman DE, Arena R, Boxer R, Dolansky MA, Eng JJ, Fleg JL, et al. Prioritizing Functional Capacity as a Principal End Point for Therapies Oriented to Older Adults With Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2017 Apr 18;135(16):e894–918.

GB-64326 | DOP: Feburary 2025

Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. Adverse events should also be reported to AstraZeneca by visiting https://contactazmedical.astrazeneca.com/ or by calling ‌‌‌0‌‌‌8‌‌‌‌‌0‌‌‌‌0‌‌‌ ‌‌7‌‌‌‌‌‌8‌‌‌3‌‌‌ ‌‌0‌‌‌‌‌0‌‌‌‌3‌‌‌‌3‌‌‌.

This website was created for UK HCPs and has been designed to provide information to educate, empower and enable them in the great work they are doing for patients across a range of therapy areas. This website is intended for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists in the UK. Other UK residents please visit astrazeneca.co.uk.

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Cardiovascular disease: a growing concern

Our cardiovascular focus areas

Heart failure

Heart failure and hyperkalaemia

Impact on quality of life and the healthcare system

Our commitment to helping HCPs improve patient outcomes

Research and innovation

Abbreviations and References