LONDON, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Heart disease, the most preventable health threat, is costing Britain's economy 29 billion pounds (55 billion US. .dollars) a year, a study showed on Monday.

    In the first study of its kind to calculate the financial burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD), researchers from the Health Economics Research Centre at Oxford University found that Britain is spending more healthcare money on the condition than any other European country.

    Medical treatment accounted for about 60 percent of the total costs attributed to the condition, while lost productivity consumed 23 percent and informal care 17 percent, according to the research findings published in the journal Heart.

    The study showed 69 million work days were lost due to cardiovascular disease in 2004.

    Cardiovascular disease is a leading killer in Britain. High blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels, obesity and smoking are leading risk factors. People who survive a heart attack or stroke often need care and long-term medical treatment.

    The research is based on all British residents diagnosed with cardiovascular disease in 2004. Costs include medication, emergency care, hospitalization and community and social services.

    The researchers did not look at why the country spends a higher percentage of its total healthcare costs on cardiovascular disease than other countries. But they said different rates of the illness and the types and costs of medications could be the reasons. Enditem