Britons warned as they are at risk missing sign of deadly heart disease

Man holding chest pain

Some do not know what a healthy heart rate is

PEXELS
Sarra Gray

By Sarra Gray


Published: 25/09/2023

- 09:24

Updated: 25/09/2023

- 17:05

Many Britons don't know what their heart rate should be, potentially meaning they miss the signs of heart disease

Many in the UK don't know what their heart rate should be, according to new research.

This puts them at risk of not being able to identify when something is wrong with their heart.


The 2023 STADA Health Report found 67 per cent of Britons could correctly identify what a healthy heart rate is.

Around one third do not know what their heart rate should be.

Nutritionist on vegetables to help heart disease

This was the highest percentage of people not knowing in Europe and experts shared how it could be putting Britons at risk.

They said: "A high 'baseline' or resting pulse can be a symptom of cardiovascular disease, the world’s number one cause of death."

Failing to understand this could mean missing key warning signs of a heart problem.

A healthy resting heart rate is around 60-80bpm, however some identified it as over 100bpm, while a small percentage thought it should be 20-40bpm.

Men are more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than women, so they must be aware of their heart rate.

Tracking this becomes more important with age as the risks increase.

The experts continued: "Unsurprisingly, as the importance and frequency of blood pressure measuring increases with age, so does awareness of the average resting pulse."

The study revealed a number of health factors Britons should be particularly mindful of.

It showed Britons have the worst sleep quality in Europe which can come with its own risks.

Man holding chest

An irregular heart rate can indicate serious problems

PEXELS

This includes heart problems, among other serious illnesses.

The report continued: "Some 46 per cent do not know that too little rest can cause increased levels of anxiety, lead to depression (46 per cent) or even elevate risks of cardiovascular disorder (78 per cent)."

This comes as busy Britons are more likely to skip preventative health checks.

This could put them at higher risk as illnesses are not identified quickly.

You may like