Your heart beats around 100,000 times a day. Most of the time, you don’t think about it. And that’s exactly why heart health can be easy to overlook.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, an estimated 19.8 million people died from CVD, with heart attacks and strokes accounting for around 85% of these deaths. Yet many of the risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease can be prevented or managed.
This World Heart Day, the World Heart Federation’s “Don’t Miss a Beat” campaign is calling attention to something simple but important: knowing the signs, understanding your risk and acting early can make a difference.
Because a healthy heart isn’t just about how you feel today. It’s about what’s happening beneath the surface.
Heart disease doesn’t always announce itself
One of the most important things to know about cardiovascular health is that you may not feel anything is wrong.
Common risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, for example, often have no obvious symptoms. Some people can have underlying cardiovascular disease without knowing it, with a heart attack or stroke becoming the first noticeable sign.
That’s why being young, active or a healthy weight doesn’t automatically mean your cardiovascular risk is low.
Your risk can be influenced by factors including:
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol and other blood lipids
- Blood glucose
- Smoking and tobacco exposure
- Physical activity
- Diet
- Alcohol intake
- Family history (genetics)
- Age and other health conditions
Some of these factors are within your control. Others aren’t. Knowing where you stand can help you focus on the things you can change.
Know the signs and don’t dismiss them
The symptoms of cardiovascular disease can vary depending on the severity of the condition.
Cardiovascular disease affecting the heart, also known colloquially as a “heart attack”, can present as chest pain or pressure that spreads to the arms, neck, jaw, shoulders or back. There could be associated shortness of breath on exertion, cold sweat, unusual fatigue, dizziness, and palpitations.
Women, in particular, may experience less typical symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, unexplained fatigue, anxiety, or discomfort that feels more like indigestion.
Cardiovascular disease such as stroke presents differently. An easy way to remember the symptoms of stroke is by the mnemonic B.E.F.A.S.T.
- B = Balance lost
- E = Eye (Vision) changes
- F = Face drooping
- A = Arm weakness
- S = Speech difficulty
- T = Time to call emergency services
The important thing is to call for emergency services as soon as possible, if you are suspecting a heart attack or stroke, as the risk of morbidity (progression of disease) and mortality (death) increases with delay in treatment.
But there is another side to recognising the signs: knowing when there are no signs at all.
Feeling well doesn’t necessarily mean everything is well.
Your numbers can tell you more than your symptoms
Some of the most important cardiovascular risk factors can be measured before they cause noticeable symptoms.
Blood pressure
High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels and is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. It often has no symptoms, making regular checks important.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is essential for your body, but having too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol can contribute to plaque building up in your arteries. Elevated cholesterol often causes no symptoms, so testing can help uncover risks you may not otherwise know about.
Blood sugar
Persistently elevated blood glucose can damage blood vessels over time and is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Checking markers such as fasting glucose and HbA1c can help identify blood sugar problems early.
Your overall risk
These numbers shouldn’t be viewed in isolation.
Your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, weight, lifestyle and family history can interact to shape your cardiovascular risk. Looking at them together gives you a more useful picture than any single number alone.
Myth vs fact: How much do you really know about your heart?
“I’m young, so I don’t need to worry about heart health.”
Myth.
Heart health starts early. Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and lifestyle habits can influence your cardiovascular risk at any age. Some heart conditions are also present from birth. There are unfortunate people who succumb to a heart attack in their teenage years or in the early 20s.
You don’t need to wait until middle age to start paying attention.
“I exercise regularly, so my heart health must be fine.”
Myth.
Regular physical activity is an important part of cardiovascular health, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Your risk is also influenced by factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking and family history. Professional athletes can also get cardiovascular disease.
Think of exercise as one part of a bigger picture, not a guarantee that everything else is in range.
“Heart disease only affects older people.”
Myth.
Cardiovascular disease becomes more common with age, but its risk factors can develop much earlier.
In fact, around one-third of CVD deaths occur prematurely in people under 70.
Taking care of your cardiovascular health earlier gives you more time to identify and manage risk.
“If I’m slim, my heart must be healthy.”
Myth.
Body size alone doesn’t tell you what’s happening inside.
Someone can have a healthy-looking body while still having high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or high blood sugar, all of which can affect cardiovascular risk.
Health is more than what you can see in the mirror.
“I have no symptoms, so I don’t have a heart problem.”
Myth.
Some of the most important cardiovascular risk factors are silent.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol, for example, often cause no obvious symptoms. That’s why knowing your numbers matters, even when you feel perfectly well.
Protecting your heart starts with what you know
The good news is that cardiovascular health isn’t entirely out of your hands.
Many of the major risk factors for CVD can be prevented or managed. Not smoking, staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, moderating alcohol intake and managing blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol can all help reduce cardiovascular risk.
But heart health isn’t about making every change overnight.
It can start with something much simpler:
Know your numbers. Understand your risk. Make one change. Then build from there.
That might mean checking your blood pressure for the first time in a while. Getting your cholesterol tested. Reviewing your blood sugar. Becoming more active. Improving your diet. Or speaking to your doctor about your family history and what it means for you.
The goal isn’t to become obsessed with your heart. It’s to avoid missing what it may be telling you.
Your heart health is one of the biggest factors for how long and how well you live. By getting tested regularly, you can detect issues early and take preventive action prior to the onset of serious conditions. Think of early screening as an investment: understanding your numbers sooner helps maximize your healthy years ahead.
Learn more about NOVI’s Longevity Programs, which include a cardiovascular risk profile.
Don’t miss a beat
This World Heart Day, take a moment to check in with your heart not just by asking “How do I feel?”, but also “What do I actually know about my cardiovascular health?”
Prevention often starts before there are symptoms and the earlier you understand your risk, the earlier you can do something about it.
If you have concerns about your cardiovascular health or experience symptoms that could indicate a heart attack or other medical emergency, seek appropriate medical care. This article is for general education and does not replace medical advice.