When pondering the subject of one's mortality most of us would choose a quick exit, after all if your number is up there is no point in hanging around. However, if you have worked in an office where a colleague has keeled over with a heart attack or you've heard about a fit young footballer who suddenly collapsed and died during training, you might start worrying about the health of your own ticker. Then the idea of simply dropping dead seems less of a good idea. Heart trouble is the Big One, both in terms of its impact and the anxiety it causes. Trying to assess if you are vulnerable means looking at a number of factors: * Family history. If your mother or father had heart problems you are more likely to be affected and this merits early assessment to see if you are likely to be at risk. * Being male. Men tend to be more at risk initially because genetically speaking; any weaknesses are passed through the father's line down to the son. * Women take note. The heart of premenopausal women is protected by hormones. However, after the menopause women catch up with men in terms of risk within five years. * Bad habits. If you smoke it's not just your lungs that are under attack, cigarettes damage the artery walls and make them susceptible to plaque build-up. * Couch potato. People are becoming increasingly aware of what a wonderful drug aerobic exercise is. If you don't exercise you may be prone to obesity. This makes the heart work harder and wear out quicker. * Do you know what your cholesterol level is? Cholesterol is the stuff that furs up your arteries. The current fashion is to adopt a low fat diet to reduce cholesterol but it is important to know what the right level is for you. * Under pressure. High blood pressure is another factor that damages artery walls leaving them more likely to clog up. Whatever the risk factors, it isn't wise to bury the fear and feel helpless because there are things you can do to fend off problems and reduce the likelihood of an untimely demise. One of the most basic ways to ensure your health is robust is to see your doctor regularly enough to have a blood pressure check. A rise in blood pressure, other than the natural increase associated with age, can be one of the first signs that all is not well with the heart. Like the genes for heart problems, a high cholesterol level is often inherited. You can take a cholesterol test at a pharmacy or there's even a DIY kit available but I would recommend you see your GP to find out what the results mean. Of all the checks, this is one test I would advise should be taken in young adulthood to determine if levels are unusually high. The earlier you take evasive action, the better the outlook for your arteries. If exercise leaves you with a wildly beating heart and feeling out of puff, an ECG Treadmill test will soon assess if your heart is behaving normally after physical exertion. For those who are perfectly fit but nervous and keen to know the odds of developing a heart problem there is a crystal gazing tool called a Cardio Vascular Risk Assessment. By taking a full history, looking at the key risk factors of genetics, smoking status, blood pressure and cholesterol levels it is possible to predict whether a person is on the road to wellbeing or ill health. The value of this exercise is immense in reassuring the worried well and correcting any damaging lifestyle factors for those at risk. The way to a healthy heart is a familiar well-trodden pathway. Eat well, supplement your diet with Vitamin E and Folic Acid, quit smoking and of course, take more exercise because without exercise no healthy diet will save you. Walking is excellent - at least 10,000 steps a day is the latest advice. One interesting way to do this is recommended by a fellow doctor who advises a visit to a pub at least a mile away from home for a night cap. What a neat way to combine a bit of activity with a medicinal tot. Cheers! | 
