How Can I Prevent Heart Disease as I Age?

Author: Gozie Oloye, LIBMS, MSc BioMedSci

Medical Reviewer: Azuka Chinweokwu Ezeike, MBBS, FWACS, FMCOG, MSc (PH)

 Highlights

• Heart disease often develops silently, making regular health checks essential as you age.
• Both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors influence your risk of heart disease.
• Regular exercise, a balanced diet, smoking cessation, and good sleep can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk.
• Regular monitoring of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar supports early detection and treatment.

Introduction

Most people do not think about their heart until they start to feel pain around their chest or maybe when they notice they’re becoming short of breath more easily. Some experience shortness of breath and assume it’s simply part of ageing.Heart disease often does not have obvious symptoms in the early stages. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 19.8 million lives were lost from cardiovascular disease worldwide in 2022 [1]. The risk of heart disease increases substantially after the age of 45 in men and after menopause in women, partly due to hormonal changes [2].

This article discusses the risk factors for heart disease and outlines ways to reduce your risk as you age. 

Types of Heart Disease

Heart disease encompasses a variety of heart-related disorders, such as the following:

• Coronary heart disease (CHD)
• Abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmia)
• Heart abnormalities present from birth (congenital heart disorders)
• Heart‑muscle disease that reduces the heart’s ability to pump effectively (cardiomyopathy)
• Heart valve conditions that interrupt normal blood flow through the heart (heart valve disease)

How to Know My Risk of Heart Disease with Ageing

Understanding these risk factors will help you to keep your heart healthy whilst you age. 

These risk factors can be classed as the following: 

1. Non‑modifiable Risks (risks you cannot change) 

These include: 

• Age
• Family history
• Sex

2. Modifiable Risks (risks you can change) 

These include: 

• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Blood sugar 
• Weight
• Smoking
• Diet 

How Do I Reduce My Risk of Heart Disease?

1.  Healthy Diet

 'You are what you eat.' This highlights the importance of eating a balanced diet. Eating foods shown below has been reported to reduce the risk of CVD (cardiovascular diseases) 

• Whole grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Oily fish

2. Physical Activity 

Physical activity is an effective way to prevent age-related alterations in muscle and organ function. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (e.g., brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (e.g., running or jogging) weekly, along with muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days per week, to prevent heart disease.

The importance of physical activity includes: 

• Lowered blood pressure levels
• Improved cholesterol levels
• Healthy weight control 
• Lower stress level

In addition, reduce prolonged sitting, as this can lower cardiovascular risk.

3. Maintaining a Healthy Weight . 

Body mass index (BMI) can be used as a screening tool for obesity within the population. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is a healthy weight for adults. Use this BMI calculator to check yours today. 

However, BMI does not distinguish fat from muscle. For instance, if you have a lot of muscle, you may be classed as overweight or obese even though you have low body fat.This is why you may get a better idea of your overall health by measuring your waist-hip-ratio. 

Adopting a healthy eating plan and physical activity will ensure you get and maintain a healthy weight. 

4. Monitoring Blood Pressure and other Chronic Diseases

Regularly monitoring blood pressure will promote timely diagnosis and treatment. 

Other checks include:

• Cholesterol testing
• Prediabetes/diabetes screening
• Kidney disease screening

 Apart from being a medically effective tool, early screening is cost-effective for the healthcare system and can help in the following ways: 

• Reduction of disability and death rates
• Identification of potential causes that may later lead to the development of heart disease
• Improved healthcare, as this raises awareness  

5. Alcohol Consumption Modification 

Stay within the recommended alcohol limits. The recommended limit is no more than 14 units per week. The amount you drink can determine the advice you get from your doctor – either to reduce your intake or stop drinking altogether. You increase your chances of the following heart conditions with a high intake of alcohol:

• Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias).
• Injury to your heart muscle.
• Heart attack or stroke.
• Raised blood pressure.

6. Smoking Cessation

Active smokers are not the only ones who can be affected. Living with a smoker can expose you to indirect smoke, and this poses a risk for heart disease [3]. 

The following can help individuals stop smoking:

• Counselling
• Medications
• Mobile apps
• Online programmes

7. Stress Management

Chronic stress at work or in personal life is associated with a 40-50% increase in the occurrence of coronary heart disease [4]. The following can help with stress management:

• Regular exercise 
• Starting a new hobby/sport
• Seeking professional help 

8. Chronic Disease Management 

Type 2 diabetes and hypertension are normally associated with obesity, inactive lifestyles, and genetic factors. Their long-term implications are serious and include an increased risk of heart disease [5].You can reduce your risk of heart disease by controlling your:

• Blood sugar
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance needed in the right quantity for good health, but it needs to be kept under check. 

Two types of cholesterol exist

• Bad cholesterol (LDL). 
• Good cholesterol (HDL).

Bad cholesterol can clog up the arteries and lead to complications like a heart attack. Doctors use LDL levels to assess risk.Good cholesterol transports cholesterol to the liver to be removed from the body. Healthy habits in childhood through to adulthood can help prevent the build-up of bad cholesterol.

Cholesterol levels cannot be determined by symptoms alone, and therefore a blood test is required to confirm your cholesterollevel

9. Sleep 

Short sleep is linked to increased cardiovascular risk, high heart rate, raised blood pressure and higher levels of stress hormones released by the adrenal glands [6]. Adults generally need 7 to 9 hours of sleep.

10. Vaccination

Vaccination is widely acknowledged as an effective preventive measure not only against specific infections but also against cardiovascular disease in high-risk patients. For example, the flu vaccine (influenza) has been shown to reduce the risk of death in individuals with heart disease [7].

Lung infections can affect cardiovascular health by: 

• Increasing the heart’s oxygen demand 
• Making patients at risk more open to periods of reduced blood flow to the heart
• Weakening the heart’s ability to pump blood 

All of which can lead to or worsen heart failure.

11. Medication Adherence

High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure-lowering medications (antihypertensive drugs) are the most widely prescribed drugs in the UK. Between seven and nine million people in the UK are currently treated with medication that reduces blood pressure [8]. 

Some people fail to adhere to their medication due to reasons like:

• Low health literacy.
• Treatment interfering with lifestyle or requiring significant behaviour change.
• Poor communication with healthcare professionals.
• Cost of medication.
• Fear of possible side effects.

Take your medicines as prescribed by your doctor and report any side effects immediately.

When to Call Emergency Services 

Call for help if you notice the following symptoms: 

• Persistent chest pain.
• Pain spreading to jaw/arm/back.
• Collapse.
• Severe breathlessness.
• Sweating.
• Nausea.

Conclusion

Heart disease is not an inevitable part of ageing. By adopting healthy habits and staying proactive about your health, you can significantly reduce your risk.

Make regular physical activity part of your routine to help maintain healthy blood pressure and support overall heart health. Reducing your salt intake can also help keep blood pressure under control. Finally, schedule regular check-ups with your doctor so that any potential concerns can be detected and managed early, often before symptoms develop.

References

1. World Health Organization.Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) [Internet]. [cited 2026 Jul 2]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds) 

2. Keteepe-Arachi T, Sharma S. Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Understanding Symptoms and Risk Factors [Internet]. 2016 Dec 2 [cited 2026 Jul 12]. Available from: https://www.ecrjournal.com/articles/cardiovascular-disease-women-understanding-symptoms-and-risk-factors?language_content_entity=en 

3. Yang Y, Peng N, Chen G, Wan Q, Yan L, Wang G, et al. Interaction between smoking and diabetes in relation to subsequent risk of cardiovascular events. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2022 Jan 24;21(1):14. Available from:doi:10.1186/s12933-022-01447-2 

4. Steptoe A, Kivimäki M. Stress and cardiovascular disease. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2012 Jun;9(6):360–70. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2012.45 

5. Cassataro, G., Geraci, G., Giusti, M. A., Maida, C., Maggio, V., Rizzo, M., & Mattina, A. (2026). The Cardiovascular Burden of Diabetes: Risk Factors, Clinical Phenotypes, and Personalized Cardiometabolic Management. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 15. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15062358 

6. Jaspan VN, Greenberg GS, Parihar S, Park CM, Somers VK, Shapiro MD, et al. The Role of Sleep in Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2024 Jul 1;26(7):249–62. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-024-01207-5 

7. Heidecker B, Libby P, Vassiliou VS, Roubille F, Vardeny O, Hassager C, et al. Vaccination as a new form of cardiovascular prevention: a European Society of Cardiology clinical consensus statement. European Heart Journal. 2025 Sep 22;46(36):3518–31. Available from:https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf384 

8. Choudhry NK, Kronish IM, Vongpatanasin W, Ferdinand KC, Pavlik VN, Egan BM, et al. Medication Adherence and Blood Pressure Control: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Hypertension. 2022 Jan;79(1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1161/HYP.0000000000000203

 Disclaimer:
The information provided on this website is for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Published July 15, 2026