What this tool is for
The Heart Risk Checker helps you get a clearer picture of the everyday factors that affect your heart, from blood pressure and cholesterol to diet, activity levels, smoking, alcohol and family history.
It pulls your answers together into a plain English summary so you can see which habits are working in your favour and which ones might be worth a closer look.
When to use it
It is aimed at adults in the UK who want a simple way to think about their heart health, perhaps because someone in the family has had heart problems, because you have noticed your lifestyle slipping, or because you just want a sense check before your next GP appointment.
It is not a medical test and will not diagnose anything. If you already have a heart condition, or you are experiencing chest pain, breathlessness or other worrying symptoms, please contact your GP or call 111. In an emergency, call 999. The checker is best used as a prompt for small, sensible changes and for questions you might want to raise with a healthcare professional.
How it works
You answer a short set of questions about your age, lifestyle, family history and any health readings you know, such as blood pressure. The tool then gives you a personalised summary of the risk factors that apply to you, along with practical suggestions for what to do next. It takes a few minutes, you do not need to register, and your answers are not saved once you leave the page.
Ask Cardiac Matters a question
Ask our editorial team a question and we will reply with our advice. Tell us as much about your situation as you can: the more detail you give, the more useful our answer can be.
You do not need to use your real name. Please do not include your full address, phone number, email address, or the names of other people. We may edit or remove identifying details for privacy and legal reasons.
Comments are moderated before publication.