What’s your real heart age? Take this test to discover your risk of stroke and heart attack
WE all know it's important to keep our hearts healthy.
Eating a balanced diet, being active and keeping to a healthy weight will all help.
And the NHS has devised a simple test which can help you discover the real age of your ticker.
Take the NHS test access the test here.
It's important to understand our risk and how we can prevent heart disease, as it's a major cause of death across the UK and worldwide.
NHS consultant cardiologist Kevin Fox said heart disease affects men and women and added that there are lots of ways we can protect ourselves from illness.
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The condition is usually caused by a build-up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries around the heart.
This makes the arteries narrower, restricting the flow of blood to the heart muscle.
The quiz focuses on your lifestyle habits and which ones might put you at risk of the illness.
Smoking
One of the biggest risks when it comes to heart disease is smoking.
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Kevin said: "There are lots of things you can try from nicotine patches to e-cigarettes. Ask your pharmacist for advice."
And it's not just your own habit that could put you at risk - passive smoking can cause heart problems too.
"Being in a smoky environment is bad for you," Kevin adds. "Encourage those around you to give up too."
The NHS states that both nicotine and carbon monoxide (from the smoke) put a strain on the heart by making it work faster. They also increase your risk of blood clots.
As well as this, other chemicals in cigarette smoke can damage the lining of your coronary arteries, leading to furring of the arteries.
At least 10 per cent of women and 20 per cent of men who smoke will ultimately die of a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
This was most likely to happen to people over the age of 60 - 4.9 per cent of female smokers, and 6.7 per cent of male smokers.
Diabetes
As part of the questionnaire, you'll be asked whether or not you have received a diabetes diagnosis.
That's because this condition causes the level of sugar in the blood to become high, which may affect your heart, the NHS states.
A study previously found that 39,000 people with diabetes will suffer a heart attack in 2035 — a rise of 9,000 on figures seen in 2015.
This is partly due to obesity, which is leading to a sharp rise in cases of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes UK previously said patients with type 2 diabetes were two to four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
You can reduce your risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes UK states that you can do this by eating a healthy, balanced diet, moving more and getting support to lose weight if you need to.
High blood pressure
If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high lipoprotein then you're at an increased risk of heart diseases.
That's because high blood pressure can put a strain on your heart - leading to heart disease.
To lower your blood pressure, the NHS states that there are lifestyle changes you can make.
This includes reducing the amount of salt you eat and generally having a healthy diet.
High cholesterol is a fat made by the liver from the saturated fat in your diet.
It's essential for healthy cells, but too much in the blood can also lead to heart disease.
You can lower your cholesterol by eating less fatty foods, stopping smoking, cutting down on booze and exercising more.
Guidance states that high levels of lipoprotein can also put you are risk, as this is a type of fat that is made by the liver.
"The level of LP(a) in your blood is inherited from your parents. It's not routinely measured, but screening is recommended for people with a moderate or high risk of developing cardiovascular disease," experts said.
You need to be aged between 30 and 95 to use the online calculator.
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If you are worried about any of your symptoms then you should see you GP.
In the event of an emergency, always call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department.