What is Cardiovascular Disease?
Cardiovascular disease, sometimes known simply as CVD, is the general name for various problems that affect the heart and blood vessels.
Think of your heart and blood vessels as a plumbing system for your body. The heart is the pump, and the blood vessels are the pipes. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) happens when this system gets blocked, damaged, or doesn’t work properly.
Someone with cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is at risk of having a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or problems where their heart beat is either too fast or too slow, or doesn’t beat with a regular rhythm.
Why is it Important?
CVD is one of the leading causes of death and ill-health in Scotland. Many risk factors—such as high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, or early signs of diabetes—can go unnoticed without regular checks. By identifying these early, we can work with you to reduce your risk and support your long-term health.
How we can help
There is a new NHS Scotland initiative to help prevent heart disease and related conditions specifically targeting younger people who may not be aware of their risk from cardiovascular disease.
We are inviting eligible people to attend for an appointment to assess their cardiovascular risk and offer advice and support.
Each appointment will last around 20 minutes, and will include:
- Blood pressure check
- Blood tests to assess cholesterol and blood sugar levels
- Height, weight and BMI measurements
- A discussion about your lifestyle, including diet, physical activity, smoking and family history of heart disease
- Time to ask any questions or raise any concerns
You may also be offered a follow-up appointment with one of our nurses to discuss your results.