Heart disease is the greatest cause of ill health and death throughout the western world. In Britain it accounts for approximately half of all deaths each year.

300,000 people in the UK suffer a heart attack every year.  Half of these cases are fatal, with about 70% of patients dying before they reach hospital.

The heart

The heart is a vital organ, pumping blood around the body to deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells and tissues.

Blood containing carbon dioxide and other waste products is then pumped back to the lungs for cleansing.

The cardiovascular system comprises of the heart, blood and a complex system of arteries, veins and capillaries.

Heart disease means any problem that affects both the heart and circulation.

Chronic heart disease

Angina
The characteristic squeezing chest pain of angina is a widespread condition in the UK, with 2 million people sufferers.  Half of these are under the age of 60.

Heart attack
The risk of having a heart attack may be signalled by the development of angina, but this is not always the case.

Heart attacks can occur unannounced, and mostly effect middle aged men.  The most common time to suffer one is early morning, in particular on a Monday.

The UK and heart disease

Even though the death rate from heart disease is slowly decreasing in the UK, we still have one of the poorest records in the world.

The UK currently lies 8th in the World Health Organisations heart disease monitoring table, which looks at trends and risks of disease in 21 countries over 4 continents.

Poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and exposure to stress all contribute to the disease process.

Most importantly, these factors are within our capability to change  therefore reducing the risk of heart disease.

Written and reviewed by the 50plus Health editorial team.

20/05/2009