Post-COVID, socio-economic stress linked to rising heart illness

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the BVI and across the Caribbean, with health officials warning that post-COVID stress and worsening socio-economic conditions may be accelerating the crisis — particularly among younger residents.

BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) CEO Dr June Samuel said the territory is witnessing a troubling rise in cardiovascular illnesses, including cases among people under the age of 50 and even under 40.

“February is Heart Health Month, and the number-one cause of death in the BVI and the Caribbean is cardiovascular disease — and that may surprise some people because we hear a lot about cancer,” Dr Samuel stated during a recent appearance on the Talking Points radio programme.

She revealed that National Health Insurance data, as far back as 2020, show that nearly 10,000 people in the BVI were living with hypertension and suggested the figure is likely higher today.

“If you have that (hypertension), plus diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol, then you definitely will be on a path to heart disease,” she warned, noting that the hospital continues to record a significant number of admissions linked to cardiac conditions. Dr Samuel also described modern life as increasingly “anxiety-driven,” arguing that financial pressures, childcare responsibilities, and even daily commuting challenges are quietly fueling harmful stress responses in the body.

“The socioeconomic situation is really difficult for a lot of persons. People are struggling. So there are the worries that people are having constantly,” she said. “That worry and anxiety are creating a stress response, and one of the organs that is actually stressed is the heart.”

Pandemic-era stress

Veteran medical practitioner Dr Sharlon Lewis supported Dr Samuel’s claims, pointing to pandemic-era stress as a key driver behind the trend. 

“After COVID, it went up by even more,” Lewis said of hypertension rates, adding that the 10,000 identified cases may not reflect the “thousands more walking around undiagnosed.”

Beyond the health risks, officials warned of the growing financial burden on families and public systems when patients require overseas care due to limited local intervention options. 

“We’re concerned about the younger people that we’re seeing, because that’s going to have a direct impact on social security and NHI,” Dr Samuel added.

The growing heart health crisis and its link to stress comes as residents continue to call on the government to improve public infrastructure and implement stronger measures to ease the cost-of-living burden, particularly for the territory’s most vulnerable, seniors, pensioners, single-parent families and others who generally earn low wages.