Risk factors

High blood pressure is blood pressure which is constantly higher than the recommended level, which can greatly increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

It is said to be a silent threat as there are usually no symptoms. The only way of knowing is to have it measured by your GP or nurse.

More about high blood pressure

More about physical inactivity

Smoking is one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease, and smokers have nearly twice the risk of having a heart attack compared to people who have never smoked.

Giving up smoking is the single most important thing you can do to improve your heart health.

More about smoking

Overtime diabetes can cause damage to your heart and blood vessels, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

There are two types of diabetes; Type 1 is less common and usually develops in children and young adults, whereas Type 2 is much more common and tends to develop after the age of 40 and is closely linked to:

• being overweight
• being physically inactive
• a family history of diabetes.

More about diabetes

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood, and plays an essential role in how every cell in the body works. It's mainly made in the body, however, too much cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

More about high blood cholesterol

A healthy diet helps to reduce your risk of developing heart disease by helping to control cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and also keep you within a healthy weight and body shape.

If you've already got a heart condition, a healthy diet will also help to protect your heart.

Men are more likely to develop coronary heart disease at an earlier age than women.

The older you are, the more likely you are to develop coronary heart disease.

People from South Asian or black African backgrounds are at a higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Some risk factors appear to have a greater effect on these people. For example, those from South Asian backgrounds tend to put weight on around their middle, increasing their risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Furthermore, people from African-Caribbean backgrounds have the highest risk of developing high blood pressure of all the ethnic minority groups in the UK.

More about Ethnicity and heart health

If coronary heart disease runs in your family, you need to take more care with your risk factors.

There's no single gene that increases your risk of getting heart disease. It's likely that several genes are responsible, and BHF-funded scientists are discovering more all the time.

Family habits can affect you too – such as what you learn about eating whilst growing up, or whether anyone in your family smokes. However, whilst you can’t change your family's background, you can choose your lifestyle.

More about family history

Some people cope with stress with risky behaviour – such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol and overeating. These increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 

Alcohol is also high in calories so it can lead to weight gain. If you are trying to lose weight, cut down on alcohol.