Prevent Heart Diseases - Questions & Answers

Questions about prevent heart diseases

1. What does the NHS say are the main types of heart and blood vessels diseases, and best ways to prevent them?

2. Why does the NHS say you know if you have a healthy heart and healthy blood vessels? This could help you live 6 to 9 years longer and enjoy life more? [21]. 206. When will you be invited by your GP for an NHS Health Check?

7. Want to check your personal risk of getting heart diseases? Try using NHS official your heart age calculator.

8. Why do people who follow NHS guidelines for a healthy diet, and take regular exercise, have lower rates of heart diseases and deaths? [11, 18]

9. Want to reduce your high blood pressure? First, follow treatments your doctor recommends. Then look at 1 2 extra ways to cut your blood pressure without drugs.

10. If you are ‘Fat but fit’, are you at increased risk of heart disease? Yes, being ‘fat and healthy’ is a myth, say researchers from Umea University, Sweden, who monitored 1.3 million men of various body types over a 30-year period. “Obesity still increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes”. As the World Obesity Federation 2020 Country report says, the UK has no chance of achieving its 2025 obesity targets, agreed by member states of the World Health Organization in 2013.

11. What are good heart beat rates while you are at rest or exercising? If my heart seems to be beating very fast sometimes, what should I do? See your GP if you notice a sudden change. At rest, the NHS says a normal adult heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute. But in ‘atrial fibrillation (AF)’, the heart rate can be much higher. Important to identify AF early, as people with undetected AF are at risk of a related stroke. Symptoms can be shortness of breath, feeling light-headed, palpitations.

1 in 3 people with atrial fibrillation do not know they have it. The symptoms can also come and go, which makes AF hard to spot. It is important to find out if someone has AF, and treat it because it means their heart is not working as well as it should. This can put them at risk of a stroke. But treatment can prevent most strokes.

There is now a wearable device that is an effective means for detection of AF in older patients [Gladstone DJ et al., JAMA Cardiol 2021].

See the new NHS NICE advice for the public on AF [NG196, April 2021].

12. Why are blood clots serious? Charity Thrombosis UK estimates that someone in the western world dies from a blood clot every 37 seconds, when it travels to the lungs and causes a blockage. People in hospitals get 6 out of every 10 clots because if they are unwell, and not moving around, their blood may not flow well [NHS NICE]. So look at NICE’s simple steps to prevent blood clots in hospital?

13. What is the difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest – watch this BHF video!

14. What are the symptoms of a heart valve problem? The heart valves make sure that the blood flows through them in one direction, and that the blood does not go back into the heart once pumped out. If one or more of the 6 heart valves become damaged or diseased, it can affect the flow of blood through your heart. So it may need treatment with medicines or surgery, perhaps the new tiny Mitraclip being endorsed by NICE.

15. How have others like you improved heart health? – Ten top tips from the NHS.

16. Is there a good Heart Helpline I could talk to? Try the British Heart Foundation Helpline. Or NHS Helplines.

17. Watch video: How do statins prevent heart attacks and strokes? (by BHF)

18. So you have high blood pressure. What now? Enter your own blood pressure on this NHS high BP page and get their advice on changes to bring it to a healthier level. More on managing your blood pressure, and on extra steps to cut BP without drugs.

19. Actions?
If you take decisions using the answers to these questions, we recommend you write them into your draft personal health plan, for discussion with your doctor/GP.