Interested in knowing your level of risk of developing cardiovascular disease? You can use this Australian online calculator from the National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance (NVDPA)to find out.
Cardiovascular disease is Australia’s leading cause of death, but it is also largely preventable. Could you or someone you love be at risk?
What causes cardiovascular disease?
When we talk about cardiovascular disease, we are specifically referring to heart attacks, strokes and their associated complications.
These are generally caused by the gradual build-up of plaque in our arteries over time. Certain risk factors are known to promote plaque build-up. These include:
- smoking
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- imbalance of good and bad cholesterol
- sedentary lifestyles.
Men are at increased risk compared to women. Other risk factors that play a role include:
- increasing age
- strong family history of cardiovascular disease, particularly in relatives who are under 60.
Determining your risk level
Your GP will take all of these factors into account when formulating an action plan to reduce your cardiovascular risk.
If you are over 45 and know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, you can get an idea yourself of your cardiovascular disease risk by using the NVDPA online calculator . Anything over 10% is considered a moderate-high risk and is worth discussing with your GP.
Preventing cardiovascular disease
Dr Adam Currey here at Family Doctors Plus has a keen interest in the preventative management of cardiovascular disease and enjoys working with patients to explain their risk level and how it can be improved. He spent a large part of his hospital training years working with cardiologists at The Prince Charles Hospital, Queensland’s leading cardiac hospital. As a GP, his main focus is keeping people out of hospital.
If you would like to discuss your risk factors or work towards an action plan to prevent cardiovascular disease, book an appointment at Family Doctors Plus
