Seven signs you might be suffering from heart disease that you shouldn't ignore

• Millions of people in the UK could be unaware they are living with deadly heart disease.

• Every three minutes someone in the UK dies due to a cardiovascular disease according to the British Heart Foundation.

• Around four million men and more than three and a half million women are living in the UK with some form of cardiovascular disease.

• Here are seven warning signs you might be secretly suffering from cardiovascular disease.

Millions of people in the UK could be unaware that they are living with heart disease. 

Heart and circulatory diseases cause a quarter of all deaths in the UK according to statistics from the British Heart Foundation, with someone dying every three minutes - more than 170,000 deaths a year. 

Lifestyle plays a huge part in heart health and being active and getting the recommended dose of daily exercise can be the first step in protecting yourself from heart disease. Our sedentary lifestyle suggests millions could be unaware they are living with a lingering health issue.

Well Pharmacy now offer a new DIY health kit at all of their 740 stores across the UK that can predict the odds of a heart attack in the next decade. 

Here are the seven warning signs you might be secretly suffering from cardiovascular disease:

High Blood Pressure 

High blood pressure - also known as hypertension - can lead to severe cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke. Six in 10 people aged 65 or older will be diagnosed with high blood pressure in their senior years. This is a significant rise from the one in ten who will be diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 44.

Hypertension is more common in older adults, though it is often symptomless, which means thousands of Brits are likely unaware they even have it.

There are a variety of factors that can affect a person’s chances of having high blood pressure including age, weight and ethnicity. Stress is also a big factor that can cause high blood pressure. It is recommended for patients with a high stress lifestyle to visit a local pharmacy for a blood pressure test when possible.

Anyone over the age of 40 is entitled to a free blood pressure check at their local Well Pharmacy in England.

High cholesterol

Patients with high cholesterol - a fatty substance found in the blood - are at more risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease.

The health issue can cause blood vessels to narrow, and it severely increases the risk of developing a blood clot. Nearly 60% of the adult population in England were living with high cholesterol in 2021, according to NHS England.

High cholesterol is caused by not getting enough exercise and eating too much fatty food – with deep fried foods being a particular cause. People who are overweight are also more likely to have high cholesterol, so it is recommended they eat a healthier diet.

If patients do not improve their cholesterol, they run a severe risk of having blocked blood vessels, which can cause a stroke or heart problems.

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Diabetes

Diabetes means that levels of glucose in the body get too high and must be continually regulated through medication. 

Type two diabetes is a common condition that causes the blood sugar level to become too high and leads to a variety of health issues with the heart, feet, nerves and eyes.

Many people diagnosed with type two diabetes are told it is linked to being overweight or inactive. Those with a family history of type two diabetes are also at risk of developing it. 

Nearly five million people in the UK are living with diabetes, nine in 10 of those with the type two condition. And nearly one million adults are estimated to be living undiagnosed with type two diabetes in England.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes blood sugar levels to become too high - it requires regular monitoring. The high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and over time this means that the blood vessels become narrower. As the vessels become damaged they continue to restrict the flow of blood, which can damage the heart over a number of years.

Many people with type two diabetes will also be overweight or obese, which is another risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Smoking

Long gone are the days when people across the country smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day, however for those who continue the habit there are severe cardiovascular risks.

Smoking clogs the arteries and narrows the blood vessels meaning the heart gets weaker as time goes on. Six million people were estimated to smoke in the UK in 2023, according to ONS statistics. Anyone interested in stopping smoking should visit their local pharmacy to discuss the best options for them to quit with their local pharmacist. 

Inactivity

The modern lifestyle for many involves working at a desk for much of the day before an evening relaxed in front of the TV. However, this sedentary lifestyle can be a real danger to life.

People who don’t get their regular recommended exercise are putting themselves at severe risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a bulging belly. One in four adults are obese in England and three in 10 people are obese in Scotland. 

It is important to exercise for at least 150 minutes every week, which is just two and a half hours. This amounts to a brisk half-hour walk a day for five of the seven days of the week. This can help reduce high blood pressure, weight and cholesterol.

Being overweight or obese

If you are overweight then you have a higher chance of developing other markers for cardiovascular disease.

Those most at risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease are people with a body mass index of 25 or above, which lowers to 23 or above if you are from a background of Black African, Asian, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern. 

This is because people who carry excess weight are more likely to be diagnosed with other conditions also linked to cardiovascular disease.

People are also at severe risk if their waist measurement is more than half their height, which is a simple calculation devised by the NHS. Patients should take their waist size and divide it by their height in the same unit of measurement. If that number is more than 0.5, they should consult with a pharmacist or GP.

Family history of cardiovascular disease

As with many other health issues, family history can be a crucial indicator for cardiovascular disease. A family history of cardiovascular disease would be if a parent, brother or sister has had angina or suffered a heart attack before the age of 60. It is important for a patient to inform their doctor of this information because it can help with treatment.

Healthcare professionals might suggest checking your blood pressure levels as well as carrying out a cholesterol check to ensure optimum health.

You can find out more about looking after your heart and the signs of heart and circulatory disease at the British Heart Foundation.