Reduce your risk of…
Reducing your risk of heart attacks
Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:
The “Reducing your risk of a heart attack” information on this page applies not only to people who have never had a heart attack but also can help people who already have had a heart attack or have angina lower their risk of having a future heart attack or worsening angina.
HOW COMMON
“The British Heart Foundation estimates that in 2016, 2.3 million people in the UK were living with a diagnosis of coronary heart disease and around 1 million people had survived a myocardial infarction (MI).”
“MI – secondary prevention: How common is it?” NICE website. Retrieved 23rd January 2023.
RISK FACTORS
From the NHS, the British Heart Foundation and NICE
Risk factors
YOUR HEART AGE
Your heart age gives you an idea of how healthy your heart is.
An NHS Health Check can give you a more accurate number for your heart age by including a cholesterol blood test result and blood pressure result. However, the calculator below will give you some idea of your heart age if you are not eligible for an NHS health check or decide not to have one.
From the NHS
Calculate your heart age Calculate your heart age – NHS
BLOOD PRESSURE
If you take your blood pressure at home or with your local pharmacy you can also check what your blood pressure reading means and get information what to do next
From the NHS
Check your blood pressure reading Check your blood pressure reading – NHS
IMPROVING YOUR HEART AGE
Apart from the information on reducing your risk of heart attacks on this page there is more information on improving your heart age (including self-referral information to local support) under:
- Exercise
- Healthy Weight
- Healthy Eating includes information on cholesterol
- Smoking
LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND ARE WELL SUPPORTED locally
The NHS website set outs some simple lifestyle changes to lower your risk of heart attacks
From the NHS
- Heart attack Prevention Preventing a heart attack – NHS
- Living with Angina Angina – Living with – NHS
From Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)
Detailed evidence-based guidelines produced for patients based on a systematic review of the scientific literature. Very helpfully the patient booklet, visually shows how strong the evidence is for any treatment recommendation made.
Preventing cardiovascular disease Preventing cardiovascular disease (sign.ac.uk)
Local support for making lifestyle changes
There is self-care advice and also self-referral information with excellent local support to support lifestyle changes in reducing your risk of heart attack and angina. These are all included here:
Note: if you have already have a heart condition you will have been given advice by your cardiologist about exercise and how much to do. Their advice should be followed.
From the British Heart Foundation
The question of safety and what exercise you can do is answered in detail. Staying Active – BHF
From NICE
Covers what advice clinicians might give following a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
How should I manage a person who has had a myocardial infarction? Scenario: Secondary prevention | Management | MI – secondary prevention | CKS | NICE
Diagnosing new raised blood pressure (not on any treatment)
From the NHS
What is blood pressure? What is blood pressure? – NHS
How can you check your blood pressure?
Many pharmacies can take your blood pressure, or perform cholesterol and blood sugar testing.
From the NHS: How your pharmacy can help – NHS
You may be entitled to an NHS Health Check see under
Many patients are also now buying their own blood pressure machine as suggested by the British Heart foundation
- Blood Pressure Monitors Blood Pressure Monitors | BIHS Approved | British Heart Foundation
- How to choose a blood pressure monitor and measure your blood pressure at home Blood pressure monitors: All you need to know
Check what your blood pressure readings mean and if any action is required
If you take your blood pressure at home or with your local pharmacy you can also check what your blood pressure reading means and get information what to do next
From the NHS
Check your blood pressure reading Check your blood pressure reading – NHS
If your Blood pressure is high your GP can manage this with you, so it is controlled, reducing your risk of a heart attack.
Diagnosing diabetes
You can check if you have diabetes and what your cholesterol is with a blood test, as part of an
If you wish to have a diabetes blood test separate to an NHS health check this can be done through your GP practice.
Even if you do not have any blood tests you can reduce your risk of diabetes, see under
Diagnosing high cholesterol
You can check if you have diabetes and what your cholesterol is with a blood test, as part of an
If you wish to have a cholesterol blood test separate to an NHS health check this can be done through your GP practice.
Even if you do not have any blood tests, you can improve your cholesterol, see question “How can cholesterol be lowered with a healthy diet?” in frequently asked questions under
GOOD MANAGEMENT OF CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS CAN HELP REDUCE RISK
There are a number of possible underlying long-term medical conditions which can act as risk factors for a heart attack including
- Hypertension (High blood pressure)
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
From NICE
Risk factors Risk factors | Background information | MI – secondary prevention | CKS | NICE
There is more information about treatment of these underlying risk factors if relevant to you under
- Heart and blood vessels includes blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Healthy eating see under frequently asked questions particularly on cholesterol lowering diet and on cholesterol lowering medication (statins)
Further information on heart attacks
Further information on heart attacks and angina can be found under
