Heart Disease

Heart disease kills more women on the UK than any other cause. Each year, more than 40,000 women will have a heart attack in the UK. Bizarrely, heart disease is often regarded as a man's disease.

Heart disease

Most heart disease is caused by a build up of fatty deposits inside the walls of the coronary arteries - the blood vessels leading to the heart. This causes the arteries to narrow, making it more difficult to deliver blood to the heart and also helps in the formation of blood clots.

Are you at risk?

In general, if you are over 40, overweight and work behind a desk and too busy with work and/or family, you should take time off to visit your GP. They can assess your risk of heart disease.

Factors which increase your risk of heart disease include:

• Having high blood pressure
• Having high blood cholesterol levels
• Being overweight or obese
• Having diabetes
• Having a family history of heart disease
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• Ageing - your risk increases with age
• Ethnicity - some ethnic groups are at a higher risk e.g people of South Asian descent in the UK

If you have high blood pressure and/or high blood cholesterol levels you won't know about it. Your GP will carry out tests for these, as well as taking weight, waist and height measurements as part of your heart assessment.

Prevention

There are lifestyle changes which can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.

• If you smoke, quit
• Get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, especially if you are overweight or over 40 years of age
• Try to stick to a healthy diet rich in fruit, vegetables and fibre. Avoid foods containing saturated and trans fats as these help boost "bad" LDL cholesterol
• Keep your blood glucose levels under control if you have diabetes
• Stick to the recommended limits when it comes to alcohol
• Incorporate some type of exercise into your routine
• Maintain a healthy weight

Know the signs

Typical signs of a heart attack include:

• Pain in the centre of the chest
• Pain spreading from the chest to arms, neck or jaw
• Chest pain accompanied with sweating or feeling sick
• Shortness of breath and chest pain

There are also less common signs of a heart attack. These include:

• Heavy feeling or dull ache in the chest
• Aching chest and feeling unwell
• Chest pain which spreads to your back or stomach
• Chest pain which feels like indigestion
• Dizziness and chest pain

Never ignore them.

This article was published on Wed 17 February 2010