Cardiovascular diseases

There are some general signs you can look out for:

What causes cardiovascular disease varies from disease to disease. However, there are a number of factors that make you more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, namely: unhealthy diet, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, too little exercise and excessive cholesterol levels.

The diseases can also be hereditary. You also have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease if you are over 40 (men) or after menopause (women).

A consultation hour has been set up in the practice to detect risk factors for cardiovascular disease and treat them if necessary. This is also referred to as cardiovascular risk management (CVRM). In addition, people who already have cardiovascular disease are checked in the consultation hour and, if necessary, treatment will be adjusted to lower the risk of a new event.

During the consultation, an overview of your risk factors is made. This overview is called a risk profile. With this risk profile it is possible to estimate your risk of cardiovascular disease - this is not a certainty. It also shows which measures you can best take and whether it makes sense to take medication.

Taking action reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and the chance of dying from it. It does not eliminate the risk. This could mean making changes to your lifestyle, for example by quitting smoking, eating healthier and exercising more. However, this could result in you no longer needing medication to lower your blood pressure or cholesterol.

For more information, see Home doctor.co.uk.