Heart disease: are you at risk?

Heart disease is one of the three biggest killers of women in Britain today, but make the right lifestyle changes and you could take yourself, along with female family members and friends, out of the danger zone.

Nurse Project coordinator for the British Heart Foundation* Ian Painter says: ‘We used to think oestrogen protected women from heart disease until after the menopause, but this is changing as more younger women develop the condition. Women must take heart-protection messages seriously from an early age and have worrying symptoms checked out.' If you answer yes to one or more of the questions
below, ask your GP about a Healthy Heart Check to calculate your overall risk. It's vital to remember that with each additional factor your risk of heart disease increases exponentially.

1 Do you smoke?

Yes

No
Smokers are at almost double the risk of heart attack as non-smokers.

2 Is there a history of heart disease in your family?

Yes

No
If your father or brother was diagnosed by 55 or if your mother or sister was diagnosed by 65, your risk is higher.

 3 Do you have diabetes?

Yes

No
If you have diabetes, you have four times the risk of developing heart disease.

 4 Are you of South Asian origin?

Yes

No
People of South Asian origin are one and a half times more likely to die from heart disease by the age of 75 than others.

5 Do you have high cholesterol or blood pressure?

Yes

No
Both are big risk factors for heart disease. If you don't know your levels, ask your GP for a check.