1. What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes all diseases of the heart and circulation (BHF)
CVD includes:
Atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm)
Coronary heart disease
Diabetes
High Cholesterol
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Kidney disease
Peripheral vascular disease
Stroke
Vascular dementia
(NHS Choices)

2. The importance of asking “When did you last have your blood pressure checked”?

3. The importance of tackling High Blood Pressure

4. Blood Pressure
Whilst having a lifestyle discussion ask the person when they last had a BP check?
If they have not had a check in the last 5 years if you are able to take a BP reading then offer to do so, if not advise the person to go to their local pharmacy or GP to get BP check.
Link to Health Matters Blood Pressure Quiz
Link to Your Blood Pressure Tool

5. Cholesterol What causes high cholesterol?
Anyone can get high cholesterol, and it can be caused by many different things. Some things you can control like lifestyle habits, others you can’t. As long as you take care of the things you can control, you’ll help lower your risk of heart and circulatory disease.
Things that cause high cholesterol you can control:
eating a lot of saturated fat
smoking
not being active enough
having too much body fat, especially around your middle.
Link to Heart UK Healthy Eating Guide to lower Cholesterol
Things that cause high cholesterol you can't control:
getting older
if you are male or female
ethnic background
Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and other inherited diseases.
Link to Familial Hypercholesterolaemia booklet.
Cholesterol checks are available at pharmacies and GP.
Link to Heart UK Understanding Cholesterol leaflet

6. Cholesterol

7. The importance of having an NHS health Check to help prevent/detect CVD

8. Physical Activity - Being physically active can reduce CVD risk by up to 35%

9. Support to Stop Smoking

10. Essentials for a Healthy Heart Diet
Link to Heart UK - Essentials for a Heart Healthy Diet leaflet

11. Resources you can access to support people to make lifestyle behaviour change