What’s your real heart age? Take this test to discover your risk of stroke and heart attack
WE all know it’s important to keep our hearts healthy.
Eating a balanced diet, being active and keeping to a healthy weight will all help, the NHS states.
Experts have also this week revealed that anti-ageing jabs could rewind your heart age by ten years.
It’s hoped the new tech might prevent heart disease years before symptoms emerge and even cure heart failure in the elderly.
But sometimes it can be hard to understand how our actions impact our health, especially when it comes to our heart.
Luckily, the NHS has devised a simple test which can help you discover the real age of your ticker, simply by asking you questions about your health.
You can access the test on the NHS website.
Once completing the quiz you’ll be told your risk of having a heart attack or stroke and how long people with the same responses as you usually live to without having a heart attack or stroke.
You need to be aged between 30 and 95 to use the online calculator, and first you’ll be asked your age.
Next you’ll be asked if you have cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, stroke or peripheral arterial disease.
These conditions have an impact on your heart and can affect its blood supply.
You’ll also have to put down your sex at birth and your ethnic group.
This is because your sex could affect your heart age estimate.
You’re also asked for your postcode, this is so the test can look at health statistics from the area you live in.
Next you’ll be asked if you smoke, that’s because people who smoke are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, studies have found.
You’ll also be asked your height, weight and if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
That’s because this condition causes the level of sugar in the blood to become high, which may affect your heart, the NHS states.
For the next part of the test, you’ll be asked more specific questions about your health.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an illness that causes pain and stiffness in the joints and while it usually affects the hands, feets and wrists, it may also affect your heart health – so you will be asked if you have been diagnosed with this.
You’ll also be asked if you have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease or atrial fibrillation.
This condition causes your heart to beat faster or irregularly, which can cause problems including dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness, the NHS states.
Questions about your family health history are also asked, so you will need to know if your mother, father, sister or brother had been diagnosed with any type of cardiovascular disease before the age of 60.
Next you’ll be asked if you know your cholesterol levels and blood pressure, before being asked if you have ever taken medication for your blood pressure.
You’ll be given your results as well as tips on what to do to lower your heart age.
For example, if you are overweight or obese then you will be advised to start the 12-week NHS weight loss plan.
The NHS states you should have a total cholesterol of 5mmol/l or below and that this is considered healthy.
“People under the age of 40 are not routinely offered cholesterol tests in England. If you believe you need to be tested – for example if you have a family history of high cholesterol, heart attacks or strokes at an early age – speak to your GP,” guidance states.
If you are worried about any of your symptoms then you should see you GP.
In the event of an emergency, always call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department.