CHD prevalence in England fell from 3.58 per cent in 2004/5 to 3.57 per cent in 2005/6. COPD in Wales fell from 1.9 to 1.87 per cent. Prevalence of disease recorded by GP practices rose in all other domains across the UK.
The greatest increases in prevalence across the UK were for hypothyroidism, hypertension and diabetes.
Prevalence of hypothyroidism rose by around 10 per cent across the UK. Diabetes rose by around 5 per cent, and hypertension by between 5 and 7 per cent.
Kent GP Dr Rubin Minhas, CHD lead for Medway PCT, said the fall in recorded CHD prevalence showed GP registers were at ‘an advanced stage’.
