THE RISKS OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE

WHO IS AT RISK OF CHD?

We are all at some risk of developing CHD. The level of risk we have is our personal 'score' of all the known contributors to CHD added together. These contributors are known as 'risk factors': things that add to our risk of developing CHD.

The biggest single, unavoidable risk is age: generally as you go through your 40's and 50's your chance of having a heart attack increases, often rising to 1 in 10 to 1 in 7 in the next ten years. If you are of South Asian origin or have a family history of early CHD, your risks are increased. If you smoke or are overweight, you are further adding to your risk.

In the illustration below, you can see how fatty deposits (plaques), created from cholesterol, build in our arteries over time and clog them.

Atherosclerosis Timeline

CHD Is The UK's Biggest Killer

CHD is the UK 's biggest killer, killing nearly twice as many women each year than breast cancer (see Premature Deaths By Cause, UK). The UK also has one of the highest rates of CHD in Western Europe.

UK deaths from CHD are highest in Scotland and the North of England but it is a serious problem across the country. South Asians (from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) living in the UK also have a higher premature death rate from CHD than average. The exact reason for this isn't known.

Those at moderate risk – a 1 in 10 to 1 in 7 chance of having a heart attack in the next ten years - can benefit significantly from Zocor Heart-Pro^®. Zocor Heart-Pro^® works by significantly reducing the amount of bad cholesterol your body produces, which means less is laid down in your coronary arteries. This helps to reduce the build-up of artery-narrowing plaques, so that blood flow to your heart is not restricted or blocked. In doing so, it effectively reduces the risk of a heart attack.

Talk to your pharmacist to see if Zocor Heart-Pro^® is right for you (or see the Is Zocor Heart-Pro^® right for you? section).