Curious about heart health? We’ve sifted through the searches to bring you answers
What is a cardiac arrest?
A cardiac arrest is caused by an arrythmia (an abnormal heart rhythm). This happens when the electrical system in the heart isn’t working as it should. It may beat too fast, too slow, or not in a regular rhythm. Not all arrythmias are life-threatening but some of them mean that the heart isn’t able to pump blood around the body.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a type of arrythmia that can cause a cardiac arrest in some people. VF is when your heart ‘fibrillates’ or quivers instead of pumping. Ventricular fibrillation isn’t life threatening, but it can cause an irregular heart rhythm.
Other conditions that can cause a cardiac arrest are:
• Cardiomyopathies – diseases of the heart muscle
• Congenital heart disease – a heart condition that happens before you’re born
• Heart valve disease – one or more of the valves in your heart don’t work properly
• Untreated or severe myocarditis – inflammation of the heart muscle
• A heart attack
• Haemorrhages (severe ones)
• A big drop in oxygen levels (hypoxia)
• A drug overdose
• Electrocution
A cardiac arrest happens when your heart stops beating and pumping blood around your body. They can be mistaken for a heart attack, but they are different. A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are both medical emergencies. If you see someone having a cardiac arrest, call 999 and immediately start CPR.
If someone is with you, ask them to find an automated external defibrillator (AED) and use it as soon as possible. Follow instructions from the 999 operator until emergency services take over.
There aren’t usually any warning signs for a cardiac arrest, but if someone has one, they’ll collapse, stop breathing and very quickly become pale. Other signs include:
• Being unconscious
• Being unresponsive to stimulation for example being spoken to
• Not breathing normally or not breathing at all (they may be making gasping noises)
What are the most effective preventive measures for coronary heart disease?
Lifestyle changes are effective measures for preventing coronary heart disease. These changes can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels which can contribute to reducing your risk of disease. The changes include:
• Eating a balanced diet
• Doing regular exercise. Speak to your GP before starting any new forms of exercise if you have a medical condition or you haven’t exercised in a while
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Quitting smoking if you smoke
• Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink. Don’t exceed the maximum recommended limits
• Keeping your blood pressure controlled
• If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar controlled
• If you’ve been prescribed medication, making sure to take it as prescribed by your GP
How common is coronary heart disease among women?
The use of the word women in this question refers to those assigned female at birth.
In the UK, there are more than 800,000 women living with coronary heart disease, and each year, more than 30,000 women are admitted to hospital.
Coronary heart disease was the single biggest killer of women worldwide in 2019.
Can good cholesterol offset bad cholesterol?
The medical term for “good” cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and “bad” cholesterol is low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or non-HDL cholesterol.
HDL cholesterol is key for keeping healthy. It helps to remove fat from the walls of your arteries which can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. However, if you have too much HDL, it can lose its protective effects.
LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol as it carries cholesterol to cells that need it. If there’s too much cholesterol in the blood, it can build up in the walls of your arteries.
HDL cholesterol can help protect you against cardiovascular disease as:
• It can remove excess cholesterol from your blood vessels
• It’s anti-inflammatory so it can help protect the artery walls against LDL cholesterol
• It has an antioxidant effect so it can help protect your cells from being broken down
Even though HDL cholesterol has protective properties and LDL cholesterol is harmful, high HDL cholesterol can’t offset high LDL cholesterol, so it’s important to keep your cholesterol levels under control.
Can we lower the level of LDL cholesterol via our diet?
To reduce the level of LDL cholesterol via your diet, cut down on eating fatty foods, especially foods high in saturated fat.
You can check food labels to see what fat it contains. Foods high in fat and saturated fat have a red traffic light colour code.
As a guide:
• Men should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day
• Women should eat no more than 20g of saturated fat a day
For some diet changes, try to eat less of the following:
• Meat pies and fatty meats like bacon
• Butter and butter products like ghee or lard
• Cheeses – cream and hard
• Cakes and biscuits
• Foods which have coconut oil or palm oil
Unsaturated fats can still be eaten in small amounts as they supply important nutrients that the body can’t make by itself like omega-3 and omega-6.
As part of healthy diet, you can eat more unsaturated fats by including:
• Olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils
• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds
• Oily fish like salmon and sardines
It's recommended to have more omega-3 by eating at least two portions of fish each week, with one portion being an oily fish. Walnuts and flax and chia seeds are good vegetarian sources of omega-3.
If you’re not sure what your cholesterol level is, you can ask your GP for a blood test. Boots also sell at home self test kits which can give an indication of your cholesterol levels.
Is cardiovascular disease only passed down through families?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) isn’t only passed through families. There are other causes which include:
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Lack of physical activity
• Being obese or overweight
If you have a family history of heart disease, you do have an increased risk of developing it. A family history is considered to be if either:
• Your father or brother were diagnosed with CVD before they were 55
• Your mother or sister were diagnosed with CVD before they were 65
If you have a history of CVD, speak to your GP as they might suggest having a look at your blood pressure and cholesterol.
What are the risk factors for coronary heart disease?
The risk factors for coronary heart disease include:
• Smoking
• High blood pressure (hypertension). You can get your blood pressure checked by your GP, at some pharmacies or at home using a blood pressure monitor
• High cholesterol
• Physical inactivity
• Having diabetes
• Being overweight or obese
• Having a family history of coronary heart disease
What dietary changes can I make to reduce my risk of coronary heart disease?
Eating a healthy balanced diet and doing regular activity can help reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This is because it can:
• Help you lose weight if you’re overweight
• Maintain your weight
• Reduce your risk of developing diabetes
• Reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure
A healthy diet includes eating:
• At least five portions of fruit and veg every day (these should be different)
• Starchy foods which are high in fibre like wholegrain breakfast cereals, wholemeal bread, brown rice or wholewheat pasta
• Some dairy or dairy alternatives like soya
• Some protein including beans, fish, eggs, pulses and meat
• Unsaturated spreads and oils in small amounts
• Plenty of fluids
A low-fat diet low in salt and including plenty of fibre can also help you lower your blood pressure. Our Nutrition Hub can help if you need inspiration.
Do men & women experience the same heart attack symptoms?
The use of the words men and women in this question refers to those assigned male or female at birth.
Both men and women have the same heart attack symptoms, and while symptoms can differ between people, there aren’t any symptoms that women experience more or less than men.
Some of the symptoms of a heart attack can include:
• Chest pain
• Pain in other parts of your body like your arms, jaw, neck, tummy or back
• Sweating
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Feeling sick
It’s common for women to delay seeking and receiving treatment, which can lead to delayed diagnosis and an increased likelihood of poorer outcomes.
Call 999 if:
• You have chest pain or discomfort that doesn’t go away – this might feel like pressure and tightness
• You have pain which radiates down your arms, your neck, jaw, stomach or back
• You have severe chest pain or sudden chest pain that you feel through your back
• You feel sick, sweaty, short of breath or lightheaded
A heart attack is a medical emergency. There is a myth that there are female-specific symptoms of heart attacks, but this is a misconception. Don’t delay getting help if you have any symptoms, regardless of your sex.
What are female-specific factors that increase a woman's risk of cardiovascular disease?
Pregnancy
Pregnancy causes significant changes to the body, including increased demands on the heart due to the need to pump up to 50% more blood than usual.
Menopause
During the menopause, there’s a decline in oestrogen which may cause changes to blood vessels, blood pressure and cholesterol. Oestrogen helps to control cholesterol levels and can reduce the risk of fat building up in the arteries. The lower levels of oestrogen can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. You can learn more about the menopause and heart health in our articles that explore menopause and blood pressure and menopause and heart health.
Turner Syndrome
Women with Turner Syndrome are more likely to be born with a heart problem. All women with Turner Syndrome will have investigations which can help assess and keep an eye on heart conditions.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can also increase your risk of heart disease.
You can learn more about heart health with Boots.
