Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Study: Minority heart failure patients face higher death risk

Ethnic minority heart failure patients had a 36 per cent higher death risk than White patients over 17 months.

Study: Minority heart failure patients face higher death risk

ETHNIC minority heart failure patients were found to have a 36 per cent higher risk of death compared to white patients over an average follow-up period of 17 months, according to a new study.

The disparity is even more pronounced in patients who also suffer from atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder, the study published on Monday (3) has revealed.


In this subgroup, ethnic minority patients were more than twice as likely to die compared to white patients, even after adjusting for factors like age.

Beta blockers, a common treatment for heart failure and atrial fibrillation, showed a 30 per cent reduction in death rates for white patients, researchers have found out after analysing data from over 16,700 patients.

However, the analysis did not demonstrate a significant protective effect for ethnic minority patients, potentially due to the under-representation of these groups in clinical trials. Across the 12 clinical trials analysed, 89 per cent of participants were white, underscoring the need for more inclusive research.

The study by researchers at the University of Birmingham, supported by the British Heart Foundation and presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester, also highlighted significant disparities in heart failure treatment and outcomes.

Sebastian Fox, a final-year medical student and co-lead author, stressed the importance of addressing the disparity.

He said, “It is crucial that steps are taken to close this worrying gap in heart failure treatment and outcomes. The most important thing we can do going forward is include more ethnic minority patients in trials of heart failure treatments. We otherwise risk drawing inappropriate conclusions that treatments are equally effective across different ethnicities.

“Another important factor to address is the combination of barriers to healthcare facing ethnic minority patients, resulting in later presentation to a doctor with a more advanced form of heart failure. This in turn is likely to lead to poorer outcomes for these patients. We need to investigate the root causes of these differences and find solutions to potential barriers these groups experience when seeking healthcare.”

The researchers pointed to several potential causes for the disparities. Evidence from other studies suggests that ethnic minority patients often seek medical help later, when their condition is more advanced and harder to treat. Additionally, there may be differences in the effectiveness and use of treatments among different ethnic groups.

Read Also: Sharp rise in cancer cases among young adults: Study

Hospitalisation rates also differed significantly between the groups. Nearly one-third of ethnic minority heart failure patients were hospitalised for cardiovascular issues, compared to one-quarter of white patients. For those with atrial fibrillation, around 40 per cent of ethnic minority patients were admitted to hospitals versus 30 per cent of white patients.

Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation and a consultant cardiologist, indicated that the study underscores significant health disparities in heart failure outcomes based on a patient's ethnicity.

“While this study was observational and cannot tell us about cause and effect, it found that patients with an ethnic minority background were sicker and more likely to die from their heart failure than others," she said.

“If we are to close this gap, it is vital we gain a better understanding of barriers in accessing care that face those from minority ethnicity backgrounds. It is also important that research is representative of those affected by cardiovascular disease, to ensure that tests and treatments can benefit those who need them. If you have been prescribed medications for heart failure, it important to take them as recommended by your doctor.”

More For You

Police Recover £1M Stolen Jewellery in Hounslow, Owners Sought

The jewellery was largely taken from London’s South Asian community in Hounslow between 2023 and 2024. (Photo: Met Police)

Stolen jewellery worth £1m recovered in Hounslow, police seek owners

POLICE are seeking to reunite stolen jewellery worth over £1 million with its rightful owners after recovering the items during a proactive operation across London and the home counties.

The recovered collection includes identifiable pieces such as a World War One officer’s Rolex watch, a gold locket containing old pictures, an engraved gold ring, and an engraved gold pocket watch from Harlow Bros Ltd.

Keep ReadingShow less
british-muslims

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

iStock)

Government announces fund to combat anti-Muslim hate

THE UK government has announced a new fund to monitor anti-Muslim hate and support victims, with applications opening on 7 April.

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

Keep ReadingShow less
Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

FILE PHOTO: Entrance of Manston short-term holding centre for migrants, near Ramsgate in southeast England. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

AUTHORITIES have launched an investigation following reports that a racist message was broadcast over portable radios at an asylum processing centre in Kent.

The incident occurred at the Manston site, where small boat arrivals are processed by the Home Office and its contractor, Mitie, reported The Guardian.

Keep ReadingShow less
Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

Sri Lankan animal rights activists take part in a demonstration in Colombo on April 3, 2025, to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Narendra Modi. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

SRI LANKAN animal rights activists marched on Thursday (3) to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Authorities in Colombo and the Buddhist pilgrim city of Anuradhapura have reportedly deployed dog catchers to impound hounds ahead of Modi's visit, which begins on Friday (4).

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-trump-getty

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi hold a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Explained: Impact of US tariffs on Indian exports

The United States has announced a 27 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods entering the American market.

Industry experts have said these duties will pose challenges for Indian exports, though India's position remains more favourable than some of its competitors.

Keep ReadingShow less