Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. This includes coronary artery disease, stroke and arthrosclerosis.
CVD is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK, but individuals can help reduce their risk by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This will include actions such as stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing alcohol intake and increasing activity levels. Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can also increase the risk of CVD. Early diagnosis and optimal treatment of these conditions is vitally important.
Diabetes is a condition that causes a person's blood glucose levels (commonly referred to as sugar levels) to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes:
Many people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes. This is called pre-diabetes and puts the individual at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Evidence suggests that 5-10% of people with pre-diabetes develop Type 2 diabetes annually. Improvements in diet and physical activity levels significantly reduce this risk.
A number of programmes of care have/are being put into place locally to help GPs support their patients to understand their risk factors for CVD and diabetes and make lifestyle changes to help reduce that risk.
For general information on cardiovascular disease and reducing the risk of its development please visit:-
For more information on some of the local programmes targeted at patients with a potentially higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes please visit:-
If you have a long-term physical or mental health condition, this scheme aims to help you and your carer to provide clear information to health and care staff who may need to visit your home in an emergency. See more information here.