Heart health: warning signs and how to look after your heart

What does good heart health mean?

Your heart and blood vessels move blood, oxygen and nutrients around your body. When they work well, you have the energy you need and your organs get what they need to function. When they are under strain, the risk of conditions such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke and angina rises.

Many of these problems develop slowly over years. That is good news in one sense: it means everyday habits and regular checks can make a real difference.

What are the warning signs of a heart attack?

A heart attack is a medical emergency. The NHS lists the main symptoms as chest pain that may feel like crushing or squeezing, which may spread to your arm, neck and jaw. Some people feel as though they have indigestion, with a burning feeling in the chest. Other signs include shortness of breath, feeling or being sick, sweating, and pale or grey skin.

The British Heart Foundation adds that pain can also spread to the upper back or stomach, and that not everyone has every symptom. It also notes that women can be slower to recognise the signs, partly because heart attacks are often wrongly seen as a man's problem. If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call 999 straight away and do not drive yourself to hospital.

What signs should you mention to a GP?

Some changes are not emergencies but are worth getting checked. These include chest discomfort when you exert yourself that eases with rest, getting out of breath more easily than usual, a fluttering or racing heartbeat, swelling in your ankles, or tiredness that does not go away. They often have other causes, but it is better to find out.

Why do blood pressure and cholesterol matter?

High blood pressure and high cholesterol both raise the risk of heart disease and stroke, and both usually have no symptoms. The only way to know your numbers is to have them checked.

High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. According to the NHS, many pharmacies offer free blood pressure checks for people aged 40 or over, and your GP can check it too.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood. Your body needs some, but too much can build up in your blood vessels and narrow them. The NHS says you are more likely to have high cholesterol if you are over 50, male, have been through the menopause, have a family history of it, or are of South Asian or sub-Saharan African heritage. Fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol can all add to it. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test.

What is an NHS Health Check?

Adults in England aged 40 to 74 who do not already have conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure are invited for a free NHS Health Check every five years. It checks your blood pressure, cholesterol and other risk factors, and estimates your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and type 2 diabetes over the next ten years. If you have been invited, it is well worth going.

How can you look after your heart?

Most of what keeps your heart healthy also helps the rest of your body. A balanced diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and fibre, and less salt, saturated fat and processed food, helps keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check.

Being active strengthens your heart and helps control weight and blood pressure. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming.

Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for your heart. The NHS says that a year after you quit, your risk of a heart attack is half that of someone who still smokes. Keeping alcohol within recommended limits, getting enough sleep and finding ways to manage long term stress all help too.

Small changes you keep up over time make more difference than big changes you cannot sustain.