NHS West Sussex Health & wellbeing for life

Heart and circulatory disease can result in a heart attack, angina, coronary heart disease and stroke (collectively known as cardiovascular disease), and is responsible for more than one in three deaths in West Sussex.

It includes coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack and stroke.
 
Coronary heart disease is a gradual build-up of fatty deposits (known as atheroma) on the walls of coronary arteries, which supply the heart with blood and oxygen. Fat narrows the artery, making it harder for the blood and oxygen to get through.
 
This can cause angina – a pain (heavy or tight) in the heart – especially when someone exerts themselves, which can spread to the arm, back, jaw, neck or stomach.
 
A heart attack occurs if a piece of the fatty atheroma breaks away from the artery wall and causes the blood to clot and block the artery, starving the heart of blood and oxygen.
 
Stroke is when the arteries in the neck narrow because of fatty build-up, preventing blood and oxygen getting to the brain.

Heart and circulatory disease can be caused by any of the following:

• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• lack of exercise
• obesity
• diabetes
• family history
• age
• ethnicity.

High blood pressure (hypertension) increases the risk of having a heart attack by 30 percent and stroke by 70 percent, and in the UK nearly one in four people has high blood pressure.
 
Too much cholesterol can also have a big impact. Cholesterol, caused by eating too much saturated fat, increases the risk of heart disease. Some people, however, have high cholesterol levels even though they eat a healthy diet. For example, they may have a condition called familial hyperlipidaemia (an inherited disorder).
 
A lack of exercise and being overweight can put an unnecessary strain on the heart and other organs, forcing them to work harder than they should. And the build-up of fat in the bodies can cause arteries to narrow and eventually blood to clot, causing angina or even a heart attack.
 
Obesity can also lead to diabetes, which, in turn, can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
 
Smoking can also increase your risk of heart and circulatory disease. The chemicals in cigarettes, such as nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide, are particularly harmful to your heart as they can:

• Damage the lining of your arteries, leading to a build-up of fatty deposits.
• Increase blood pressure and heart rate, making your heart work harder.
• Reduce the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry to the heart and body.
• Make your blood more likely to clot.
   

Healthy eating and regular exercise are the main ways to minimise the risk of developing heart and circulatory disease, and can also prevent diabetes and some cancers.
 
Cholesterol levels can be reduced by cutting down on saturated fats and replacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
 
A high-fibre diet, such as beans, lentils, nuts, porridge, fruit and veg, can also help lower cholesterol, as does plenty of exercise.
 
Oily fish provides the richest source of a particular type of polyunsaturated fat known as omega-3, which can prevent the blood from clotting.
 
Cutting down on salt also helps to maintain a lower blood pressure.
 
Excessive drinking is known to have a direct impact on the heart. The NHS advises that men shouldn’t regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol a day and women no more than two to three. ‘Regularly’ means drinking every day or most days of the week. And the body should have a break of 48 hours to recover after a heavy session.
 
Meanwhile if you are a smoker, stopping is the biggest step you can take to reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
 
Smokers are nearly twice as likely to have a heart attack as people who have never smoked. But within a year of stopping smoking, your risk of heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
 

There are several effective medications to treat heart conditions, targeted to meet different needs, but most change how the heart or circulatory system work.
 
Alternative medicines are available, but the British Heart Foundation says these shouldn’t be seen as substitutes for conventional drugs because they haven’t undergone rigorous research.
 
Statins are drugs prescribed to healthy but high-risk people to protect them from heart disease. But if someone has already had a heart attack or stroke, they will also be prescribed a statin to prevent any further problems by reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
 
Statins do this by lowering the amount of cholesterol that cells make, forcing them instead to gather cholesterol from the blood stream.
 
Other treatments are also offered such as angioplasty which increases the flow of blood to the heart, a catheter which allows the blood to flow more easily, and anti-platelet drugs which help to reduce the risk of blood clots.
 

If you have any concerns or questions about heart disease or the risks, you should speak to your GP. Book an appointment with your GP and they will be happy to discuss any questions or issues you may have.

If you are not registered with a GP practice, you can use our website to search for a GP close to you.