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People living with severe mental illness are around four times more likely to die early from cardiovascular disease than the general population in England, according to a new report published today by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) with Center for Mental Health, Equally Well UK, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

The report, "Left Behind: A Policy Response to Cardiovascular Inequalities in Severe Mental Illness," sets out how people living with severe mental illness in England face a higher risk of heart and circulatory diseases, while being less likely to receive timely diagnosis, treatment and support.

Research cited in the report highlights that people with severe mental illness have a 47% lower likelihood of undergoing cardiac interventions, are 15% less likely to have a recent prescription for statins, and up to 66% of patients with severe mental illness have undetected cardiovascular disease prior to cardiovascular death.

People with severe mental illness are also more likely to be at risk of cardiovascular disease. Obesity rates are 1.8 times higher for people with severe mental illness than in the general population, and it's estimated that more than 40% of people with severe mental illness smoke. Smoking is estimated to account for around half of deaths among people living with severe mental illness.

The report argues that these stark inequalities in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in people with severe mental illness are driven by factors including deprivation, stigma and fragmented services, as much as by clinical risk.

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