7 ways to take more care of your heart

Keeping this vital organ in great shape is key for living well for longer

Picture someone clutching their chest and having a heart attack. You’re likely to imagine a middle-aged man who is overweight and a smoker. The surprising truth is that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the UK, with around 100 admitted to hospital each day following a heart attack.

Coronary heart disease (also called ischaemic heart disease) is when the blood vessels to the heart become narrow due to the build-up of fatty deposits on their walls. This means that the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body. If the arteries become too narrow, or become blocked by a clot, the blood supply to the heart muscle itself can be affected, leading to a heart attack.

The classic symptoms of a heart attack, such as crushing central chest pain or pressure which radiates to the jaw or arm, shortness of breath, nausea and sweating, occur in both men and women, but women may have different symptoms.