by Simon Evans

Just as your car’s annual MoT should ensure safe driving, so giving your body a regular check-over can make your life healthier and happier.

Though we have never been better informed about our health, it is easy to become overwhelmed with information. Seeing the wood for those proverbial trees becomes ever more difficult. The secret of good health is to know what the common ailments are in our particular age group and how to prevent them occurring. We also need to be able to recognise symptoms when they occur and pick up on those tell-tale warning signs.

The heart
Coronary heart disease is one of the commonest ailments afflicting the over-50s. It is caused by arteries that flow to the heart narrowing due to deposits of fat. If blood cannot get through to feed the heart muscle, the heart cannot function properly because it lacks oxygen. This can cause chest pain - angina - and, in some cases, a heart attack, of which there are almost 300,000 in the UK every year.

High cholesterol levels, especially when exacerbated by obesity, are one3 of the danger signs, and diabetes sufferers also have an increased risk of heart disease. In the over-50 age group, the mortality rate for diabetics from heart disease is twice that of non-diabetics. Needless to say, smoking and excessive drinking also increase the likelihood of heart disease.

So, what should you be looking for? Danger signs are central chest pain, sometimes spreading to the arms, neck or jaw; breathlessness; anxiety; nausea and belching; severe tiredness or chest pains after exertion; and palpitations. Some of these symptoms may indicate a problem, especially when added to such risk factors as a family history of heart problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, being overweight, a high-fat diet, lack of exercise and smoking.

Hypertension
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the main risk factors for heart disease as it accelerates the build up of plaque in the blood vessels and contributes to general wear and tear on the arteries.

Get it checked once a year

About a third of the adult population - 41 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women - have high blood pressure, and this increases with age. Too much salt or potassium in our food, and too little calcium, can cause problems, as can stress and a sedentary lifestyle, while smoking will definitely exacerbate high blood pressure.

It is estimated that less than a third of hypertension sufferers are treated for the condition, but there are several signs that might indicate a problem, including tiredness, blurred vision, confusion, anxiety, nausea, sweating, chest pain, flushing of the face, nosebleeds, palpitations, noises in the ear and regular headaches. If you suffer from any of these on a regular basis, have your blood pressure checked.

In any case, everyone over 50 should have their blood pressure checked once a year. You can do this at home, using one of the many home testing kits available.

You should be aware, however, that blood pressure can vary naturally over a 24-hour period, tending to be at its highest when we get up, and at its lowest in the early hours of the morning. It might be better, therefore, to take a series of readings, rather than relying on just one. If your tests show a consistently high rate, you would be advised to contact your GP.