Cardiovascular disease

Information and advice on cardiovascular disease

What is cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term that includes diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. This includes stroke and conditions that affect the heart. For example, heart attack, heart failure or heart rhythm problems.

Find out what to do in a heart emergency

Find out more about cardiovascular disease

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Learn more about the common risk factors that can increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease

Heart disease

Information on symptoms and conditions that can affect the heart. This includes coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders, inherited heart conditions and more

Stroke

Learn more about stroke signs, symptoms and treatment

Women’s heart health

Information on heart disease in women, including types of heart disease and risk factors

Information and support

Further information and support on cardiovascular disease is available. Get advice on:

heart conditions – from the British Heart Foundation or Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland
stroke – from the Stroke Association or Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland
benefits for people who are sick or disabled – from Citizens Advice Scotland

The British Heart Foundation have heart information in other languages, including Urdu, Punjabi, Polish, Bengali and Romanian.

Advice lines

Advice lines support people living with heart disease or stroke. You can access these through the:

British Heart Foundation Heart Helpline – phone 0808 802 1234 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email hearthelpline@bhf.org.uk
Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland Advice Line – phone 0808 801 0899 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm) or email adviceline@chss.org.uk
Stroke Association Stroke Helpline – phone 0303 3033 1011 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and Saturday, 10am to 1pm) or email helpline@stroke.org.uk

Waiting well

It’s important to support your health and wellbeing if you’re waiting to:

get treatment
see a healthcare specialist

The waiting well website has advice on looking after your physical and mental health. It also has information on practical issues like money worries. This can help to support your health and wellbeing while waiting.

Further information on waiting well

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