By being aware of what risk factors are and making some changes to your lifestyle, you can both help to prevent these illnesses and reduce their severity, while also improving your overall health and wellbeing.
Managing medical risk factors which increase your chances of having a stroke or heart attack, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and Atrial Fibrillation, is also important. However, other risk factors like family history, ethnicity and age cannot be changed.
Lifestyle Risk Factors
Medical Risk Factors
Genetic Risk Factors
These cannot be changed:
- Family History: You are at a higher risk of developing a heart or circulatory condition if a member of your family has been diagnosed with a heart or circulatory diseases, such as a stroke or a heart attack, - particularly if your father or brother was under the age of 55 or your mother or sister was under the age of 65 when they were diagnosed.
- Age: the risk of heart attack or stroke increases with age.
- Gender: the risk of heart attack or stroke increases with age for both men and women.
- Ethnic origin: people with an Afro–Caribbean or Southeast Asian background have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
If any of these apply to you, then you need to take extra care about the risk factors you can control. It is also important that you speak to your GP and get a health check.
Our Well Checks include tests to identify cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and Atrial Fibrillation. Find out more about our Well Checks and book your check online here.
Download our Health and Wellbeing Factsheet:
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Health and Wellbeing FactsheetDownload pdf
