This easy-to-use calculator can reveal if you are at risk of a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years and It could be useful to help you make changes now to prevent a deadly event in the near future.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of heart attack, and in 2019, was the largest killer of people worldwide.
Both conditions, with similar causes, are largely preventable.
The calculator, known as the QRISK®3 calculator, is used by doctors under NHS guidance to assess someone’s risk of a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.
It asks for your age, ethnicity, gender, weight and height.
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The calculator can give a score based solely on the above requirements if provided accurately. However, for the most accurate score, you will need other health details including your blood pressure and cholesterol reading.
If your score is 20 per cent, for example, it means in a crowd of 100 people like you, 20 of them will get a heart attack or stroke. There is a one in five chance you will be that person.
You’ll also get a “healthy heart age”, which could be older than your true age. It is the age at which a healthy person with your details has the same risk score.
Reports says the calculator get it end result based on data from almost 1.3m million people in the UK who were followed for 10 years.
The tool is meant to be for people only between 30 and 84 years old, and those who have already survived a stroke or heart attack cannot get an accurate estimate from it.
The Question Now, Is – What do I do if I have a high result?
If you’ve used the calculator and worried about your score, it’s probably best to see your doctor, he/she will be the only person that can validate it.
Although, there may be things you can do to bring your risk down, like taking medication, stopping smoking or losing weight.
Some risk factors are unchangeable, for example your family history, age, or if you have a medical condition that raises your cholesterol levels.
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But in overall, knowing your overall risk could save your life.
Below is a screenshot of the platform, which displayed some Clinical information it requires from users.
To use the calculator click here.
How can you lower you risk of heart attack and stroke?
- eat healthily
- be physically active
- keep to a healthy weight and lose weight if necessary
- don’t smoke
- cut down on alcohol
- control high blood pressure
- control cholesterol levels
- control blood sugar levels (if you have diabetes)
Meanwhile, the calculator takes into consideration some of the following factors – which are risk factors for deadly heart attacks and stroke:
Smoking: The calculator will ask if you are a smoker or used to be.
High blood pressure: “If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.
“Not only can it lead to heart attacks and strokes, but aortic aneurysms, kidney disease, vascular dementia and heart failure.
High cholesterol: Like high blood pressure, high cholesterol is a condition that can creep up on you with no symptoms – but is very serious.
Migraines: While migraines will not lead to a stroke, if you have migraines with aura, you are around twice as likely to have an ischaemic stroke in your lifetime.
Erectile dysfunction: You might be surprised to see the calculator asks if you have ever had an erectile dysfunction diagnosis (ED).
