This website was developed by researchers at the University of Sydney. It was funded through a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Heart Foundation. The health information is general and for education only. It may not apply to your own situation. Please see your GP to get a heart health check and advice on how to manage your specific risk factors.
Here are more resources to continue learning about your heart health:
Learn more about risk of heart disease
Go to the Heart Foundation website where you can find:
✔ A heart age calculator
✔ Brochures you can print and read later
✔ Information in different languages
Learn about heart scans
If you are at a medium risk of heart disease, your doctor may suggest you have a heart scan. A heart scan checks for calcium in your heart’s blood vessels. This could mean you are at higher risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Should I get a heart scan?
Use this decision aid tool to learn more and help you decide whether to get a heart scan.
Learn the meaning of common heart health words
These are meanings of some of the common medical words used in this website. Knowing what these words mean will help you to understand your heart health. If you would like more support in learning what these words mean, please ask your GP.
Heart Health Check
A Heart Health Check is a check-up with your doctor focussed on you heart health. Your doctor will look at your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years.
Your doctor will look at:
· Your age and gender
· Your blood pressure and cholesterol
· If you have diabetes
· If you smoke
· Your family history
Your doctor may suggest you eat healthier, be more active, or take medicine to help your heart.
You should have a Heart Health Check with your doctor if you are:
· 45 years and over, or
· 30 years and over for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Cholesterol
A type of fat in your blood. Your body needs it, but too much can clog blood vessels and lead to heart disease.
Blood Pressure
How hard blood pushes against your artery walls. The first number (e.g., 120/80) is when the heart pumps (systolic). The second number is when the heart rests (diastolic). High blood pressure can harm your heart and cause health problems.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is a long term condition that develops over time. It affects the heart but it also affects the blood vessels around your body, including in your brain. It can lead to serious problems that affect your heart and brain, including heart attack and stroke.
Diabetes
A disease that happens when blood sugar is too high. This is because the body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it well.
Blood Vessels
Tubes in your body (arteries and veins) that carry blood, oxygen, and nutrients to different parts of the body.
Heart Attack
A heart attack happens when a blood vessel in the heart gets blocked. Blood can’t reach part of the heart, and the heart muscle starts to die. A heart attack can be deadly. Treating quickly can help save the heart.
Stroke
A stroke happens when blood can’t reach the brain because a blood vessel is blocked or bursts. This can damage brain cells and cause serious problems.
Heart Medicines
Medicines that help the heart by lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, or helping the heart work better.
Learn how to find reliable health information
If you have questions about your heart, talk to your doctor. The “Ask Share Know” website can help you ask the right questions.
Many people look online for health information. But not all websites are trustworthy or safe. The “Trust or Trash” tool helps you decide if a website can be trusted.