ANYONE READING this magazine is likely to be in a higher risk category for heart disease – it’s just one of the downsides of ageing, to offset the increased wisdom we all have.

CHD, coronary heart disease, is the most common type, caused when the arteries which take blood to the heart are narrow or become blocked, usually by cholesterol, and a fatty material called plaque builds up inside the artery. Factors other than ageing can also lead to plaque build-up, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

When plaque blocks an artery, it can cause chest pain or a heart attack (see box). So it helps to keep an eye on cholesterol levels, and on blood pressure, by having regular health