It’s never too early to start
By eating more healthily, becoming more active or stopping smoking, you can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes. The power to change things is in your hands. Reduce those risks and you can make heart problems much less likely.
Meet the consultants who are pioneering heart disease prevention
Among our consultants is the professor who worked with Public Health England and the British Heart Foundation to develop the Heart Age Calculator, a tool that helps you understand what your future heart risks might be. For example, if you have diabetes, or you have too much cholesterol in your blood, you’re more likely to develop heart disease. If you have high blood pressure, you’re more likely to have a stroke. If you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, you have an increased risk of developing angina or having a heart attack. There’s something you can do to reduce or manage all those risks though. The Heart Age Calculator shows you what the impact of making changes might be. With two or three risk factors present at age 50, your risk of having a heart attack before you’re 80 is 70 per cent. With none present, the risk drops to five per cent.
Towards a healthier heart
Predicting heart conditions
Heart conditions can be passed down through the generations. The latest imaging and genetic tests can show you if you’re at particularly high risk.
Catching heart problems early
Arterial disease begins decades before a stroke or a heart attack. But it’s now possible to pick up the signs long before symptoms develop.
Changing your lifestyle
If you’re a smoker, stopping could halve your risk of having a heart attack. Losing weight, drinking less alcohol and taking more exercise all make heart problems less likely too.
Managing risks medically
A lipid measurement test can show if you have too much cholesterol in your blood. Your consultant might prescribe statins to bring it down to a healthy level. They might also give you medication to lower your blood pressure.
Request a cardiac appointment
If heart symptoms are affecting your quality of life, we’re here to help. Our heart team is available to book an appointment with a cardiac specialist.
Call us today
020 7616 4988