Our heart’s job is to pump blood around our body. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects the heart or blood vessels and is the leading cause of premature death and disability worldwide. So, we need to understand how our lifestyle can reduce the risk of CVD, how to keepi our hearts strong and healthy, and when to get help.

Mr Akhtar Nasim is a Consultant Vascular Surgeon & Clinical Director in Sheffield. He explains: “CVD doesn’t always have symptoms to start with, so the first sign of anything serious could be a heart attack or stroke. Risk usually increases with age and can be more common in people from an ethnic minority. So, it’s important we do everything we can to help to reduce our risk.”

What is CVD?

There are 4 main types of CVD:

1. Coronary heart disease: the flow of blood to the heart is blocked or reduced. This is usually due to a fatty build-up that narrows our arteries and vessels, which can lead to angina, heart attacks, or heart failure.

2. Stroke:the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and can cause brain damage and possibly death. A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or “mini-stroke” is similar, but the blood flow to the brain is only temporarily disrupted.

3. Peripheral arterial disease: a blockage in the arteries to the limbs, usually the legs.

4. Aortic diseases: affect the aorta which is our largest blood vessel, carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body. One of the most common aortic diseases is an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

Am I at higher risk of CVD?

Our risk of developing CVD is affected by lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol too often, not being active enough, and being overweight. These promote the unhealthy fatty build-up in our arteries and vessels which can cause additional problems like high blood pressure and make it harder for our bodies to work properly.

Mr Nasim says: “In addition to your lifestyle, you’re more likely to have CVD if you’re Black, South Asian or from an ethnic minority. This could be because we’re more likely to have additional health conditions like high blood pressure, kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.”

Your family’s health history also makes a difference. If a close blood relative has high blood pressure or had a heart attack or stroke at a young age, you may be more likely to have it too.

Mr Nasim adds: “Being aware of health issues in your family means we can advise you about prevention and symptoms to look out for. And we may be able to spot and treat developing conditions before you have any issues.”

Your GP surgery may want to regularly check your cholesterol or blood pressure if you have a family history of coronary heart disease. There are also blood tests that can check for inherited conditions.

How can I reduce my risk?

Everyone aged 40 and over can get a free NHS health check every five years, from their GP surgery, local council, or some pharmacies. These can spot the early signs of heart disease and stroke, as well as kidney disease, dementia, and type 2 diabetes.

Many pharmacies also offer blood pressure checks, help to stop smoking and support in cutting back on alcohol.

Mr Nasim explains: “Although some risk factors are out of our control like age or ethnicity, we can make positive lifestyle changes to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease. I recommend everyone gets advice to live well, manage health conditions and take up offers of help when invited – to stop smoking, and get free NHS health checks, screening and vaccinations.”

Can I get screened for heart conditions?

Although the NHS doesn’t screen for cardiovascular diseases, it offers men free screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). This is a localised swelling in the main vessel carrying blood from the heart to the tummy. Most aneurysms don’t cause symptoms, but there’s a risk of them bursting which can cause life-threatening bleeding.

AAA screening is offered to men in the year they turn 65 as this group are at higher risk and involves a quick, painless, ultrasound scan of their tummy.

Mr Nasim says, “AAA is more common in older men with high blood pressure or high cholesterol, men who smoke or used to smoke, or have other conditions including coronary heart disease. Screening can spot any swelling in the aorta early on when it is usually treatable.“
If you missed your AAA screening appointment, you can still book to get screened at your local screening service.

Does CVD just affect men?

Although men are more likely to develop CVD at an earlier age and are at greater risk of getting AAA, women are more likely to die or be unwell from CVD causes including high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Risks can rise during or after the menopause – you can find out more about the risks to women.

Heart attacks can happen to any of us – Ranjit Singh

I never thought my heart was at risk. But in 2017, at the age of 55, I had a heart attack. It was a huge shock to me as well as everyone around me. As a vegetarian, non-smoker and non-drinker, I thought I was healthy. I didn’t have high blood pressure and there was no family history of heart attacks.

I was rushed into hospital with extreme pain in my chest. I couldn’t remember my date of birth and morphine injections did little to help the pain. Three of my main heart arteries were blocked and due to the severity, I had an operation within 3 hours. They fitted stents to keep the arteries open so blood could flow through them.

In May 2024, I was getting breathless and couldn’t walk at normal pace. I felt a tightening across my shoulders and knew there was a problem. In hospital, the doctors told me one of the arteries was blocked again, but this time I would need triple bypass surgery.  It was scary to hear those words, but thankfully after the surgery and 7 weeks in hospital, I was back on the road to recovery.

Living with coronary heart disease means I need to take my medications on time, every day. Losing weight has been a struggle, but I’m eating less and have a sensible diet, with meals between 11am and 6pm. I’ve registered for a cardiac rehabilitation programme to get support, advice and exercise plans.

I never felt the need to do much exercise before, as my job was quite physical. Now I go to the gym 3 times a week and my instructors Lucy and Ray have been brilliant. Stress may have been a contributing factor, so I’m looking to bring back relaxing activities I used to enjoy, like playing the guitar and singing.

My advice to others living with heart disease is to try to keep your weight down, exercise regularly and reduce your stress levels. Try different exercise and activities to see what works best for you. Take your prescribed medications if you value your life and family – I stopped for a short time and that may have been why I ended up in hospital again. Get advice from cardiac nurses as they are experts in helping you to get back on the right track.  And if something doesn’t feel right, let someone know – call 111 or 999 if it’s an emergency. Don’t be afraid to make that call.

You can get advice and support from Heart UK or the British Heart Foundation.

7 steps to help your heart 

1URegular physical activity | We should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity, every week.

2UHealthy weight with balanced diet | The free NHS Digital Weight Management Programme offers help to people living with obesity who also have diabetes and/or high blood pressure.

3UDon’t smoke | All forms of tobacco (including chewing tobacco and shisha) increase your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. You can get advice from your local Stop Smoking Service.

4UReduce your alcohol intake | Long-term heavy drinking can lead to your heart becoming enlarged. There are alcohol addiction support groups throughout England that can help if you need it.

5UGet protection | NHS vaccinations protect those eligible against illnesses that can place pressure on the heart, like rubella and flu.

6UKeep on top of your health | The NHS offer free health checks to everyone aged 40 to 74, including a blood pressure check and cholesterol test. It’s advisable to attend routine appointments for long-term illnesses, so issues can be identified and treated quickly.

7UTake your medication | Your pharmacist can help you manage your medications and give advice if you need help with prescription costs.

Do you know the ABCs of CVD?

Dr Chris Olukanni is a GP in Essex, specialising in cardiovascular health. He explains there are three conditions known as the ‘ABCs’ which are considered high risk for cardiovascular disease.

“While these conditions are treatable, many people don’t know they have them until they have a major health issue.”

A: Atrial fibrillation (AF) can cause an irregular heart rate and is a major cause of stroke. It’s more common in older people or those with long-term health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure or obesity, and heart-valve problems.

Dr Olukanni says: “Sometimes AF has no symptoms, but some people report dizziness, tiredness, a fluttering feeling in their chest or feel like their heart is racing or missing beats.

“If you experience these symptoms, check your pulse and contact your GP surgery. A normal pulse rate is between 60 and 100 beats a minute.”

B: Blood pressure | High blood pressure or hypertension affects around 1 in 4 adults and is linked to around half of all heart attacks and strokes in the UK. Around 50% of people living with high blood pressure don’t realise they have it as there are usually no symptoms.

Dr Olukanni adds: “If you have Black or South Asian heritage, you’re more likely to have high blood pressure and at a younger age. You can get your blood pressure checked at your GP surgery, most pharmacists or you can buy a digital blood pressure machine to test yourself at home.”

C: Cholesterol | “High cholesterol is often a result of our lifestyle and can clog up our arteries,” explains Dr Olukanni. “But it can also run in families, linked to an inherited fault passed down in their genes which leads to a condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), which can cause extremely high levels of cholesterol.

You can get your cholesterol checked in a blood test at your GP surgery or your local pharmacy may offer a finger-prick test.

Invest in your health

“We don’t want people to wait until they have a problem before they come to us for advice,” says Dr Olukanni. “The biggest difference you can make to your health and wellbeing is through lifestyle changes and being proactive, even if you already have cardiovascular disease.

“It can be hard to change habits, but the gains you’ll make could change or even save your life.”