This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Heart Age Test to aid heart attack and stroke detection
Public Health England is urging the public to find out their ‘heart age’ via a free, online Heart Age Test, as a way of detecting if they are at an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
With 50 preventable deaths from heart attack or stroke happening every day as a result of the test, the Heart Age Test asks a number of simple physical and lifestyle questions and provides an immediate estimation of someone’s heart age, as well as a prediction of the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by a certain age.
The Heart Age Test, which has been completed more than 1.9 million times, also gives suggestions on lifestyle changes to help people reduce their heart age such as losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising regularly and cutting back on alcohol.
The test has revealed that 78 per cent of people have a heart age higher than their actual age, with 34 per cent having a heart age over five years and 14 per cent at least 10 years over their actual age.
Nearly 24,000 of cardiovascular disease deaths are in people under the age of 75, with 80 per cent of these preventable if people made lifestyle and behaviour changes to improve their heart health. Cardiovascular disease, with stroke and heart attack being the most common examples, is the leading cause of death for men and the second leading cause of death for women.
Jamie Waterall, national lead for cardiovascular disease at PHE, said: “Millions are at risk of cardiovascular disease but don’t know it, putting themselves at real risk of suffering ill-health or dying younger. Knowing your heart age is a simple way of finding out whether you’re at risk of a heart attack or stroke. By making important lifestyle changes you can reduce your risk before it’s too late. Taking a Heart Age Test is something you can easily do at home, but it could be one of the most important things you do to help you live a healthy longer life.”
As part of the campaign, Amazon and Omron – the UK’s leading blood pressure monitor manufacturer – are working with Public Health England to launch a roadshow called ‘Treasure Your Heart’ to engage more people in the idea of knowing their heart age and blood pressure.
PHE’s Heart Age campaign will run until 30 September.
Latest News
16/02/2024 - 12:56
Hammersmith and Fulham Council has created a new alliance intended to clean dirty air and improve residents' health.
16/02/2024 - 10:44
Two million more GP appointments a month are being delivered for patients compared to the same month before the pandemic as part of the NHS primary care access recovery plan according to new NHS data.
15/02/2024 - 10:26
The Welsh Government has provided innovation funding of £380,000 to support two projects utilising technology in domiciliary care.
15/02/2024 - 10:13
The new Scottish health secretary has met with frontline staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
14/02/2024 - 10:27
The North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) has appointed three new Executive Directors to the Trust Board.
Product Features
UK Building Regulations highlight toxic gas and smoke from layers of paint built up over multiple redecorations as a major cause of permanent ill health or death in a building fire.
Their concern rose with discovery the flame retardant paints most widely used paint along escape routes have been ones which to this day counter-productively use emission of heavy toxic gas to smother flames which rapidly spread along walls if layers of paint delaminate in a fire.
Supplier Profiles
Northwich’s Victoria Infirmary (VIN) Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has enabled more patients
Adveco, the commercial hot water specialist, announces the launch of live metering of domestic ho
Latest Features
Sarah Greenslade, public affairs and communications officer at the British Parking Association looks at some of the problems and innovations in healthcare parking
It’s easy to assume that the comms team is there to handle press enquiries and the occasional social media storm – but the reality is that strategic communications can make a measurable impact across the entire organisation, from operational to financial, when done properly
