THE statistics are stark, heart and circulatory diseases kill one in four of us.
It took the life of S Club 7’s Paul Cattermole in April this year, at just 46 years of age.
The statistics for heart disease are stark – as tragically seen with the death of S Club 7’s Paul Cattermole this yearGetty
Bandmate Rachel Stevens told Sun Health how S Club didn’t know much about heart and circulatory conditions before Paul diedLeigh Keily
An autopsy found he had multiple problems of the blood vessels and heart, including arrhythmia.
The band, who had been preparing for their reunion tour, were left heartbroken when Paul was found dead at his home in Dorset.
They’ve now joined forces with the British Heart Foundation for their September campaign, Spotlight, to raise awareness of how invisible heart conditions can present themselves — both to those with it, and those around them.
Like Paul, people can have a heart condition for a long time, potentially with symptoms, without knowing — until it’s too late.
S Club bandmate Rachel Stevens told Sun Health: “To be honest we didn’t really know much about heart and circulatory conditions before Paul died.
“We, like a lot of people, associated heart disease with older people.”
And band member Jon Lee said: “Our hearts feel emptier without Paul, far too many people die too soon from heart conditions they didn’t know they had.”
Now the band are urging all of us to get clued up on heart health.
A BHF survey found just three per cent of Brits know that one in two people will suffer a heart or circulatory condition in their lifetime.
Paul was one of the 168,000 people who will die of such a disease this year alone — each day 460 lives are lost, 130 of those people are under 75.
Some 7.6 million people are living with dangerous heart conditions — including angina, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, valve disease and heart failure.
That figure does not include the additional millions with high blood pressure and high cholesterol — both largely preventable conditions that increase the risk of deadly heart issues or stroke.
Many of these diseases have no symptoms and don’t pose an immediate threat.
But Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the BHF, told Sun Health readers to “know their numbers”.
She said: “In England, people over 40 will be invited for an NHS health check.
“They’ll look at your weight, height, age and gender, your blood pressure, and see what’s going on with your cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
“They will also check your family history. After you have your results, you’ll be given a cardiovascular disease risk score.”
Genetics, gender and age are some of the unchangeable risk factors for heart and circulatory diseases.
Some conditions are inherited, such as cardiomyopathy which affects around one in 250 people in the UK.
But there are lifestyle changes that can slash the odds, such as quitting smoking.
“That said, sometimes people don’t have any risk factors at all, and they still go on to have a heart attack or stroke,” Ruth said.
“It’s about reducing and managing risk. There’s nothing to say that it’s completely preventable.”
SYMPTOMS YOU MUST NOT IGNORE
TAKE A BREATH
SHORTNESS of breath can be a sign of a number of conditions: arrhythmia, valve disease, cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
Ruth says: “It’s a sign that your heart is unhappy because your breathing rate has gone up because your heart is having to work harder.”
It’s one of the key signs of a heart attack, too.
FEELING SLUGGISH
FATIGUE that appears despite there being no change in your life is a cause for concern.
Feeling tired most of the time and finding exercise exhausting can be a sign of heart failure or coronary artery disease.
Feeling tired most of the time and finding exercise exhausting could be a sign of heart failure or coronary artery diseaseShutterstock
Ruth says: “If you’re noticing that it is getting worse, or you are unable to do your daily activities, go and get that checked out.”
FLUTTERING HEART
AN irregular heartbeat can feel like a fluttering in the chest, palpitations, or as though there are extra beats.
Ruth says: “That can be signs of arrhythmia, but it can also be quite normal, like lots of people have ectopic beats or palpitations and it’s just something that happens.
“But we would recommend seeing your GP and maybe have an ECG to check everything is OK.”
HEARTACHE
CHEST pain needs to be checked out, regardless of whether there are other symptoms, because it is the main sign of a heart attack.
It may feel like discomfort, indigestion, pressure or squeezing, or a heaviness in your chest that just doesn’t feel quite right.
Chest pain needs to be checked out, regardless of whether there are other symptomsShutterstock
Ruth says: “It can feel quite sudden, and if it doesn’t go away, that’s a red flag.”
The pain can spread to the arms, across the back, and into the jaw or stomach.
Ruth said: “You may also feel sick, sweaty and lightheaded.”
Atherosclerosis, when fatty plaques block the blood vessels, angina and heart disease can also cause chest pain.
And peripheral artery disease, the narrowing or blockage of the vessels between the heart and legs, can cause sore arms and legs.
REDUCE THE AGE OF YOUR TICKER
WHATEVER your age, there are simple things we can all do to boost heart health.
But it’s important to make any lifestyle changes gradually so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Ruth advised: “Make small changes and do it slowly. Always check with your GP or whoever’s responsible for your care.”
You can find out your heart age at nhs.uk/health-assessment-tools/calculate-your-heart-age.
MOVE MORE: A lack of exercise or movement can result in fatty deposits building up in your arteries.
Ruth said: “You can reduce your risk of heart and circulatory diseases by up to 35 per cent by being more physically active.”
Around 150 minutes per week is the NHS recommendation.
But Ruth added: “If you’re not physically active, start slow and build up.
“Aim to do ten minutes today, and see if you can make that 20 minutes a day next week.
“It could be as simple as taking a walk around the garden. Any movement is good movement.”
STUB IT OUT: Around 13 per cent of the British population smoke. And shockingly, of the 160,000 deaths each year from heart and circulatory diseases, around 15,000 are caused by smoking.
Ruth said: “The chemicals within cigarettes can make the walls of your arteries sticky, helping the fatty materials to clog the arteries and reduce the space for proper blood flow.”
Shockingly, of the 160,000 deaths each year from heart and circulatory diseases, around 15,000 are caused by smokingShutterstock
This can lead to a heart attack or stroke, blocking the blood vessels delivering oxygen to your heart and brain.
Ruth added: “If you stop smoking, your risk of a heart attack is half of that of a smoker after one year.”
HALF MEASURES: The recommended limit of alcohol is 14 units a week – although this is not risk-free.
Ruth said drinking more “can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, damage to the heart muscle, high blood pressure, palpitations, and diseases such as stroke, vascular dementia, and some cancers”.
She added: “Have several alcohol-free days per week. If you normally have a large glass of wine, make it a small one so you are cutting down, not trying to do it all at once.”
WEIGHTY ISSUE: Get a measuring tape out. Ideally, a man’s waist measurement (just above the belly button) should be below 37 inches and a woman’s should be below 31.5 inches.
Ruth said: “Living with extra weight or obesity can lead to fatty material building up in your arteries and lead to diseases like high blood pressure, which increase your risk of heart and circulatory diseases.”
Living with extra weight or obesity can lead to fatty material building up in your arteries and lead to diseases like high blood pressureGetty
She advised eating a healthier diet which focuses on plenty of vegetables and fruit, reducing carbs and salt, avoiding cooking in fats, and managing portions.
She added: “Per day, men should have less than 30g of saturated fat and women less than 20g.”
Saturated fats include processed meats, hard cheeses, cream, biscuits, cakes, pies and pastries.
CHILL OUT: Stress itself doesn’t cause heart or circulatory diseases, but Ruth said: “It may cause you to make choices that can put your heart health at risk, such as eating unhealthily or drinking more alcohol.
“Lots of people have stressful lifestyles, with some things unavoidable.
“But you can help to improve your health by taking control of how you react to that.”
Find ten minutes of your day to meditate, journal your thoughts so they’re not bottled up, or go for an evening walk instead of watching TV.