A new study shows that a majority of Brits are ignoring the small steps that could help them to avoid developing heart disease as they age. Two thirds of the UK population admits that they do not take care of their health even though they are aware of the threat of heart disease.
However, simply staying fit, eating a healthy diet, and reducing alcohol intake is all it takes for most people to drastically reduce their chances of developing heart disease. It is estimated that heart disease kills about 80,000 Britons every year. It is also the largest killer of women and is responsible for about 10% of all female deaths.
Despite the fact that heart disease is the leading female killer and kills almost three times more people than breast cancer, a study conducted of 2000 adults for National Heart month found that while over half of the women in the study regularly check their breast for lumps, only 15% regularly check their blood pressure.
Heart disease is also credited for killing one out of every six men but only 20% of men have their blood pressure checked regularly. Conversely, 35% regularly check their testicles for cancer.
In response to the problem, Lloyds pharmacy has launched an online heart health calculator to help people gauge their person risk of developing heart disease. The website also offers step by step advice on how to reduce personal damage of developing the disease.
In addition, the pharmacy is also offering a free heart health assessment service inside of their retail locations so that customers can get easy access to tailored advice that can help them reduce their risk of heart disease.