Physical assessment

An assessment and examination may help your doctor to diagnose a heart problem. Your doctor will ask you about your medical history and your family history. They may also ask you questions about your lifestyle such as whether you smoke. They may also listen to your hearth through a stethoscope and take your blood pressure and pulse. This provides vital information which can help your doctor decide if there is a problem and if you need other tests. An assessment also helps to monitor the condition of someone who already has heart disease..

For more information on other tests for your heart, please see our booklet Tests for heart conditions.

What is a Heart Health Check?

A heart health check is carried out to find out about your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This is sometimes called a cardiovascular risk assessment. It can give doctors and nurses information about your future risk and gives you valuable information on what you can do to keep your heart healthy. It can also help your doctor decide if you need treatment - such as medicine to protect your heart.

A heart health check involves:

• asking you questions about your lifestyle - for example, if you smoke, and how much physical activity you do
• asking if there is any history of heart disease in your family
• doing a blood test to measure your cholesterol and sometimes your blood glucose
• measuring your blood pressure
• taking your weight, height and waist measurements

For more information on heart health checks please see our booklet Keep your heart healthy.