Before your heart health check visit, you can build your knowledge and think about questions to ask your GP.

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Heart disease affects the heart but it also affects the blood vessels around your body, including in your brain.

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Most people can prevent heart disease through a healthy lifestyle, and medicine if your doctor suggests it.

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Heart disease is a long term condition that develops over time.

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Heart disease can lead to serious problems that can affect your heart and brain.

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Anyone can get heart disease so it’s important to get your risk factors like blood pressure checked.

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The risk of heart disease increases as you get older. But younger people can have heart attacks and strokes too.

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Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease. It increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

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There are many risk factors you can control through a healthy lifestyle. You can also take medicine if your doctor suggests it.

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Your GP will use a calculator to work out your risk level. The calculator includes things like your:

• age
• gender
• smoking history
• blood pressure
• cholesterol and
• medical conditions.

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You do not need a referral to get a heart health check with your GP. If you have extra risk factors, your GP will let you know if you need to see a specialist.

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Your GP is the first place to go to find out about your heart health.

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Anyone can develop heart disease. So it’s important to get your risk factors like blood pressure checked, even if you feel healthy.

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Being active can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. You can start today with something easy like walking more.

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Having a healthy diet can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. Eating less unhealthy snacks is a great way to start.

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You may not feel any symptoms if your cholesterol or blood pressure go up. So it’s important to get checked and know your numbers.

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You might not need medicine for your risk factors. It depends on things like your age and gender too. Your GP will consider many different factors before they suggest taking medicine.