Cardiovascular Risk Factors Explained: Prevention and Early Screening in the UK

What is cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term that covers conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. In the UK, it remains one of the most significant health challenges. 

• There are an estimated 8 million people living with cardiovascular disease in the UK. 
• Cardiovascular disease causes around a quarter (26 per cent) of all deaths in the UK; that's around 170,000 deaths a year
• Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the leading cause of premature death in the UK before the age of 75.
• CHD is the single biggest male killer (1 in 8 men) yet 90% of the CHD burden in the UK is associated with modifiable risk factors, which are often preventable.

Cardiovascular disease includes several related conditions, most commonly:

• Coronary heart disease (CHD) – narrowing of the coronary arteries and most common form of CVD.
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Peripheral arterial disease
  

In most cases, the underlying driver is atherosclerosis — the gradual build-up of fatty deposits (plaques) within the arteries. Over time, this narrows blood vessels and restricts blood flow. This process can begin decades before a clinical diagnosis. It is shaped by a combination of biological, behavioural and environmental factors. By the time symptoms appear, risk may have been building for years.

The key risk factors driving cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease rarely results from a single cause. It develops through the accumulation of multiple risk factors over time.

Non-modifiable risk factors

These cannot be changed but influence overall risk:

• Age
• Male sex
• Family history of early heart disease
• Ethnicity (for example, South Asian populations have a higher cardiovascular risk profile in the UK)

If these apply to you, and for everyone as you age, the importance of screening and managing modifiable risk factors increases. 

Modifiable risk factors

These are measurable and, in many cases, manageable:

1. High blood pressure (hypertension)
   High blood pressure is often described as a “silent” condition because it rarely causes symptoms. Yet it is a leading contributor to heart disease and stroke. An estimated 1 in 3 UK adults has high blood pressure, and many remain undiagnosed.
2. Raised cholesterol
   Elevated LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol contributes to plaque formation within arteries. Around 6 in 10 UK adults have total cholesterol levels above recommended thresholds.
3. Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes
   More than 4.6 million people in the UK are living with diagnosed diabetes, with Type 2 diabetes accounting for around 90% of cases, and according to Diabetes UK, an additional 1.3m are likely living with the condition but undiagnosed. Diabetes significantly increases cardiovascular risk.
4. Obesity
   Approximately 28% of adults in England are classified as obese, with central (abdominal) obesity closely linked to cardiometabolic disease.
5. Smoking
   Smoking damages blood vessels and accelerates atherosclerosis. Although rates have declined, around 13% of UK adults still smoke.
6. Physical inactivity
   Only around two-thirds of adults meet the UK Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.
7. Alcohol and chronic stress
   Excess alcohol consumption and prolonged stress contribute indirectly through blood pressure, weight gain and metabolic changes.

Risk is cumulative. A single mildly elevated marker or lifestyle risk factor may not immediately translate to disease, but multiple abnormalities significantly increase long-term probability of cardiovascular events.

Why cardiovascular disease often goes undetected

There are 2 main challenges in prevention- most cardiovascular symptoms are asymptomatic and screening is poor.

High blood pressure does not usually cause pain. Raised cholesterol cannot be felt. Insulin resistance develops gradually, many who may have abnormal markers, may be unaware that they are at risk.

There is some screening available; the NHS Health Check programme offers cardiovascular risk assessments every five years for adults aged 40–74 in England. However:

• Not everyone attends (average attendance is 20-40%).
• Eligibility excludes younger adults.
• Five-year intervals may miss evolving risk.
• Access to GP appointments remains challenging in many areas.
  

Screening and early risk assessment

Cardiovascular screening is designed to identify risk before the disease develops rather than diagnose an illness itself. It assesses the underlying drivers of future disease to help offer a structured view of cardiometabolic health before symptoms become visible.

Cardiovascular risk assessment commonly uses blood testing, physical measurements, and validated tools such as QRISK, which estimates an individual’s 10-year likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease based on demographic and clinical factors. It brings together multiple data points to build a picture of future probability, not current illness.

To calculate this risk, screening typically considers a combination of measurable indicators:

• Blood pressure measurement
• Lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides)
• HbA1c (a marker of average blood glucose levels)
• Body mass index (BMI)
• Waist circumference

In workplace settings, accessible screening — including at-home testing models — can remove structural barriers to participation, particularly in shift-based industries.

Why this matters for employers

CVD is associated with:

• Long-term sickness absence
• Increased presenteeism
• Reduced productivity
• Elevated fatigue
• Greater safety risk in operational roles
  

In one of Qured’s large UK workforce screening programmes involving a predominantly male, shift-based population:

• Over 70% had elevated cardiometabolic risk
• Nearly half had multiple abnormal health markers
• Over 50% of employees under 30 had at least one abnormal biomarker
• Many participants had no prior awareness of these risk factors.

For safety-critical industries, early detection of cardiometabolic risk is particularly relevant. Fatigue, undiagnosed hypertension and metabolic dysfunction can all affect capacity and resilience at work..

In workplace screening programmes, when individuals are given personalised insight and clinical consultation: 84% reported making lifestyle changes following their results.

This highlights an important principle: awareness changes behaviour. When risk becomes personal and measurable, it is more likely to prompt action. Qured’s preventative health platform helps organisations make screening accessible and stigma-free, empowering employees to take proactive steps towards understanding their health - and we encourage everyone this heart month to reflect on what they know about their own risk, and get tested today.