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Calls for heart screening for over-40s

Date published: 21/12/2005

Doctors should consider screening all over-40s for heart disease, according to medical experts. Writing in the medical journal Heart, six professional societies call for doctors to take a more proactive approach in detecting heart disease ? the UK's leading cause of death.

They also stress the importance of monitoring in the prevention of strokes. The recommendations come from: the British Cardiac Society, the British Hypertension Society, Diabetes UK, Heart UK, the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society and the Stroke Association

For the first time the guidelines focus on cardiovascular disease as a whole, rather than just on coronary heart disease. The medical experts say this is an attempt to ensure consistent treatment for all those with already hardened and narrowed arteries - namely heart attack, stroke and hardening of the arteries in the legs. This second category will include apparently healthy people whose risk of cardiovascular disease is greater than or equal to 20 per cent over ten years and those with diabetes.

The doctors write that screening for cardiovascular disease should be considered for all over-40s regardless of outward symptoms and stress that screenings should be carried out earlier for those at particular risk. For those at high risk, the guidance sets targets for blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar (glycaemia).

Lead author Professor David Woods of Imperial College, said that preventing a heart attack or stroke was a crucial goal. "The promise of preventive cardiology is to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke," Dr Woods said.

"With professional lifestyle intervention and appropriate use of proven drug treatments, it is now possible to have a major impact on the commonest cause of death in the country. For people at high risk, this will mean less disability and a longer life."

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