Worried about your heart health? Here’s where to start

5 minute read

Key takeaways

Whether you have specific symptoms, a family history of heart disease or simply feel like you should look into your heart health, being proactive, understanding your risk and getting your heart assessed is an important step.
Some cardiovascular conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and early coronary heart disease, may have no symptoms at all and the only way to know your risk is to check.
Preventative screening and a thorough cardiovascular assessment can provide essential information to help protect your heart for the future.
Integrative cardiology combines guideline-based tests and treatments with a personalised lifestyle plan, as stress levels, sleep, habits and mental well-being can affect your heart health.
If you have sudden chest pain with red-flag symptoms, call 999 immediately.

If you have found yourself Googling symptoms late at night, feeling worried about your heart health or wondering whether your family history is increasing your risk of developing cardiovascular conditions, you are not alone.

Being concerned about your heart health is a common reason to seek medical help, even if you do not have any symptoms. In my experience as an Integrative Cardiologist, addressing your concern and taking a proactive approach can make a real difference.

In this article, I explore what can increase your risk of heart disease, why early screening matters even if you feel well and when to speak to a healthcare professional.

If you have sudden chest pain or discomfort, pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, back or stomach, or chest pain with sweating, nausea, light-headedness or shortness of breath, call 999 and seek medical attention immediately.

Why prevention matters

Cardiovascular disease is a term used for conditions affecting your heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke.

The British Heart Foundation estimates that around eight million people in the UK are currently living with a heart or circulatory condition. Often, people do not experience any symptoms until they have a cardiac event, and conditions closely linked to heart attacks and strokes, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and early stages of arterial disease, don’t always cause symptoms. They can progress and develop silently.

Preventative screening is important as it allows you to be proactive, even if you feel well. By focusing on your risk and the lifestyle factors, you are taking a helpful step in supporting your heart health for the future.

Understanding your risk factors

There are two types of cardiovascular risk factors: those you can change (modifiable) and those you cannot (non-modifiable). Understanding both is the starting point to assessing your heart health.

Risk factors that you can change

Many cardiovascular risk factors are modifiable. Changes to your lifestyle and in some cases, taking medication prescribed by your doctor, can reduce your risk. Important modifiable risk factors include:

Smoking can damage blood vessel walls and cause fatty plaque to build up in the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis. This condition can lead to cardiovascular disease or a heart attack.
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. It can also atherosclerosis and can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Watch this video to learn more: If I am overweight/ obese, should I be worried about my heart health?
Lack of exercise can put you can higher risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. For tips on incorporating exercise into your routine, view our beginners guide to fitness infographic.
An unhealthy diet, particularly a diet high in processed food, saturated fat and salt, can raise your ‘bad’ cholesterol level or increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. Read our nutritional guide for more information on maintaining a healthy diet.
Ongoing stress can increase your blood pressure and heart rate, lead to poor sleep, overeating and alcohol use, which can lead to a higher risk of developing heart disease and a heart attack. You can read more about this in my article: The heart under pressure: How chronic stress damages cardiovascular health.
Poor sleep is increasingly recognised as a cardiovascular risk factor, as it may increase the risk of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. You can learn more about the link between sleep and heart health in this article: The importance of sleep for a healthy heart.
Drinking alcohol can be linked to increased blood pressure and weight gain. It can also weaken the muscles of your heart, which may lead to heart disease, heart failure or a heart attack.

Certain conditions, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, are important risk factors for heart disease, heart attacks and stroke. Often, these conditions cause no symptoms and getting assessed can help you understand your risk.

Risk factors you cannot change

Some risk factors you cannot control, but knowing about them is valuable, as they can contribute to your overall risk. These include:

Age: Cardiovascular risk increases with age, which is why screening is important.
Gender: Men carry a higher overall risk, however, the risk for women rises after menopause.
Family history: Having a close relative, such as a parent or sibling who had a heart attack, stroke, or heart disease can increase your risk.
Inherited conditions: Having an inherited condition, such as Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH), can cause high levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol from an early age and increase your risk of heart conditions.
Ethnicity: Certain ethnicities, such as South Asian, Black African and African Caribbean backgrounds, carry a higher cardiovascular risk.

The role of Lipoprotein(a)

Lipoprotein(a), also known as Lp(a), can also help us understand and accurately assess your cardiovascular risk. It is an inherited particle made from fat and protein found in your blood. We may recommend testing your Lp(a) level if you have a personal or family history of early heart disease, high cholesterol or unexplained cardiac events.

High Lp(a) levels do not usually cause any direct symptoms, but it can contribute to the buildup of plaque in your arteries and increase your risk of developing heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.

The integrative cardiology approach

As an Integrative Cardiologist, I combine advanced diagnostics with evidence-based lifestyle medicine. This holistic approach can help us understand the drivers of your risk and provide a complete picture of your heart health to develop a personalised assessment, treatment, and prevention plan.

Your cardiac assessment will depend on your personal circumstances and may include:

Understanding your personal and family history
A full review of your lifestyle history, including sleep quality, stress levels, diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol habits
Blood pressure measurement
Cardiac blood tests, including a full lipid profile with Lp(a), diabetes screening, kidney and thyroid function, and inflammatory markers
An electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess your heart’s rhythm and electrical activity
An echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) to assess your heart’s structure, valves and function
A personalised risk assessment, results discussion and plan for further investigation, treatment and lifestyle support

Depending on your individual situation, further tests, such as a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor, advanced imaging, or VO2 max testing may also be recommended.

Integrative cardiology is about managing your symptoms with guideline-based care while reducing your risk to protect your heart health now and in the future.

Understanding your next steps

If you are worried about your symptoms or risk factors, speaking to a healthcare professional can give you the answers you need.

At Cardiologist London, we believe that caring for your heart involves more than just monitoring numbers and test results. Our preventative approach can help you understand and manage your risk before problems develop. With personalised and targeted cardiac assessments, treatment, and lifestyle management, we can address your concerns and prevent future complications. Contact us today to book a consultation and take the next step to improving your heart health.

References:

British Heart Foundation. Facts and Figures. London: BHF; 2025. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/contact-the-press-office/facts-and-figures
NHS England. Cardiovascular disease. Available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/
NHS England. Cardiovascular disease (CVD). Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/cvd/
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification. NICE Guideline. London: NICE; updated December 2023. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng238
NHS England. NHS Health Check. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/nhs-health-check/