Heart Disease Map

Coronary Heart Disease

CausesYour risk of developing atherosclerosis is significantly increased if you: •smoke •have high blood pressure (hypertension) •have a high blood cholesterol level •do not take regular exercise •have diabetes Other risk factors for developing atherosclerosis include:•being obese or overweight •having a family history of CHD – the risk is increased if you have a male relative with CHD under 55 or a female relative under 65

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the UK's biggest killer, causing around 82,000 deaths each year. About one in five men and one in eight women die from the disease. CHD generally affects more men than women, but from the age of 50 the chances of developing CHD are similar for men and women.

STOKE MAP

StrokeA stroke is a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Strokes are a medical emergency and prompt treatment is essential because the sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen.

CausesStroke is a largely preventable condition. Many risks can be reduced by making lifestyle changes.

However, some things that increase the risk of stroke cannot be changed, including:•age – you are more likely to have a stroke if you are over 65 years old, although about a quarter of strokes happen in younger people •family history – if a close relative (parent, grandparent, brother or sister) has had a stroke, your risk is likely to be higher •ethnicity – if you are south Asian, African or Caribbean, your risk of stroke is higher, partly because rates of diabetes and high blood pressure are higher in these groups •your medical history – if you have previously had a stroke, TIA or heart attack, your risk of stroke is higher

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