A healthy heart is the key to your overall health, and there are small daily habits you can follow to look after it
This article is sponsored by A. Menarini Farmaceutica Internazionale SRL
Did you know that you’re never too old or to too young to start taking care of your heart? Embracing a healthy lifestyle at any age is a great way to get the ball rolling. Find out how you can make simple changes in the way you live your life to prevent heart disease and lower your risk of heart attack or stroke.
What is angina?
Angina is pain or discomfort in your chest that’s usually caused by coronary heart disease. This pain occurs when the arteries that supply your heart with blood and oxygen become narrowed, so your blood supply is restricted. It's usually not life threatening, but it's a warning sign that you could be at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
In the UK, an estimated 2.3 million people are living with coronary heart disease* 20% - 40% of the general population experience chest pain during their lives**
Most people with stable angina feel pain in their chest, arms, neck, back or jaw, and it may be trigged by physical exertion or stress. The pain should subside after a few minutes. Unstable angina attacks are more unpredictable and can continue despite resting.
If you don't have a diagnosis of angina and have an attack of chest pain that stops within a few minutes of resting, you should get an urgent GP appointment. Call 999 for an ambulance if you have chest pain that doesn't stop after a few minutes.
If you’d like more information about angina or heart disease, you can speak to your GP or a pharmacist.
What can affect my heart health?
Smoking
Smoking is very harmful to your heart. It seriously increases your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.
The chemicals in cigarettes make the walls of your arteries sticky, which causes fatty material to stick to the walls. This fatty material can begin to clog your arteries and reduce the space for blood to flow properly. If the arteries that carry blood to your heart get clogged, it can lead to a heart attack. If the arteries that carry blood to your brain get clogged, it can lead to a stroke.
Smoking can also affect your heart and blood vessels by:
• Increasing your risk of blood clots
• Causing an instant rise to your heart rate
• Causing an instant rise to your blood pressure
• Reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to the rest of your body
Quitting smoking has many benefits for your health, and you may notice benefits sooner than you think. They include:
• Your heart rate and blood pressure will begin to return to normal after 20 minutes
• Your sense of smell and taste will begin to improve after two to three days
• Your breathing will begin to improve, and exercise may be easier after two to 12 weeks
• Your risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker after one year
High blood pressure
Having high blood pressure (or hypertension, if we’re getting technical) increases your risk of heart attack and stroke, so simply knowing your blood pressure could save your life. If you’re not sure what yours is, you can ask for a blood pressure check at your GP surgery or at some pharmacies. You can also check your blood pressure yourself with a home blood pressure monitor.
Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries (the blood vessels that carry blood to your organs). You need a certain amount of pressure to get the blood moving around your body.
It’s normal for your blood pressure to go up while you’re moving about, but if it’s consistently high (even when you’re resting), it's important you seek medical advice and, if required, treatment to help prevent heart and circulatory diseases.
Diet, lifestyle or medical conditions can cause high blood pressure, including:
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Smoking
• Being overweight
• Not doing enough exercise
• Eating too much salt
If your blood pressure is high, arrange to see your GP to discuss your options to help lower it.
Obesity or being overweight
Living with excess weight or being obese can increase your risk of heart and circulatory diseases like heart attacks, strokes and vascular dementia, as well as other health conditions.
Obesity is generally caused by consuming more calories (particularly those in fatty and sugary food) than you burn off through physical activity.
If you're concerned about your weight and want to take control of it, ask your GP for advice. They may suggest eating a balanced, calorie-controlled diet, joining a local weight loss group, exercising regularly, eating slowly or avoiding situations where you know you'll be tempted to overeat.
High cholesterol
Having high cholesterol can also increase your risk of heart and circulatory diseases, including heart attack, stroke and vascular dementia.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in your blood that’s produced naturally in the liver. Everyone has cholesterol. We need it to stay healthy because every cell in our body uses it. Some of the cholesterol we use comes from the food we eat.
High cholesterol is when you have too much cholesterol in your blood. It can be harmful because it sticks to the inside walls of your arteries, which can lead to fatty material building up. This makes it harder for blood to flow through the arteries, and can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
The main causes of high cholesterol are:
• Eating fatty food
• Not exercising enough
• Being overweight
• Not doing enough exercise
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol
To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food (especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat), aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, limit the amount of alcohol you drink (and stick within the NHS recommended limits) and quit smoking.
Inactivity
Being active can help reduce your risk of heart and circulatory diseases. It can also help you control your weight, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and improve your mental wellbeing – so you can look and feel your best!
Being inactive can lead to fatty material building up in your arteries. The good news is, doing regular physical activity will make your heart stronger, so it can pump more blood with less effort. This means there’s less pressure on your arteries, which helps your blood pressure stay at a healthy level.
You should aim to do 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week (that’s about 20 to 30 minutes a day) to help support your heart health.
Family medical history or heart disease
If you have a family history of a heart or circulatory disease, you might have a higher risk of developing conditions that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
You have a family history of a condition if one or more of your family members you’re related to by blood have it. It’s caused by a combination of your genes and habits you share with your family. This combination can increase your risk.
You have what's called a strong family history of a condition if:
• Your father or brother was under the age of 55 when they were diagnosed
• Your mother or sister was under the age of 65 when they were diagnosed
While you can’t change your family medical history, you can reduce your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases by being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, stopping smoking and eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Tell your GP if a family member you’re related to by blood has had a heart attack or stroke, even if you feel healthy. They can check your blood pressure and blood cholesterol level.
How can I reduce my risk?
If you have angina, medication is available to help manage your symptoms and help prevent future attacks.
Even if you have a family history of heart disease, living a healthy lifestyle can help lower your risk. This includes:
• Eating a healthy, varied diet
• Being active
• Not exceeding the NHS recommended alcohol limits
• Losing weight if you’re overweight
• Stopping smoking
Your GP will be able to provide advice on your blood pressure and cholesterol, and whether any support is needed to manage these.
Trust us, the benefits of a healthy heart are worth making the effort!
*BJC Learning Angina Module 1 Epidemiology, March 2020.
**BJC Learning Angina Module 4 Diagnosis, March 2020.
PP-CA-UK-0287 Date of prep July 2022
