Heart Disease Risk Test

What it measures

This check scores eleven well-established, guideline-recognised cardiovascular risk factors that you can self-report without a blood test — age, biological sex, smoking status, known high blood pressure, known diabetes or prediabetes, family history of premature heart disease, physical inactivity, body weight, diet quality, alcohol intake, and chronic stress. It is designed to raise awareness of the modifiable factors in your life and prompt you to seek a proper clinical CVD risk assessment.

How it works

Each question carries its own set of weighted answer options, with stronger risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, age) scoring higher. Scores are summed and placed in one of four bands — Lower, Moderate, High, or Very High modifiable risk — with practical, encouraging guidance on the changes most likely to benefit you. The whole check takes about three minutes. This tool intentionally excludes cholesterol and blood-pressure measurements: those require clinical measurement and are the reason you should follow up with your GP or an NHS Health Check.

Tips for an accurate result

• 1Stop smoking — it is the highest-leverage change you can make — Smokers have roughly twice the risk of a heart attack compared with non-smokers. Quitting halves the additional risk within a year. The NHS Stop Smoking Service — combining behavioural support with nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline — offers the best long-term quit rates.
• 2Move more, even in small amounts — Achieving 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week (brisk walking, cycling, swimming) is associated with around a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease. If you are very sedentary, even 20–30 minutes of brisk walking most days makes a measurable difference to blood pressure and blood sugar.
• 3Know your blood pressure — High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, yet it is the single most powerful modifiable driver of cardiovascular events in population models. Many pharmacies and GP surgeries offer free blood-pressure checks. A reading persistently above 140/90 mmHg warrants discussion with your GP.
• 4Reduce salt and processed food — Most people in the UK consume far more than the recommended 6 g of salt per day, much of it hidden in bread, ready meals, and sauces. Reducing salt by 3 g/day can lower systolic blood pressure by 3–5 mmHg in people with hypertension — a clinically meaningful amount.
• 5Book an NHS Health Check if you are aged 40–74 — The free NHS Health Check measures your blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol (via a blood test), and blood glucose, and uses them to calculate your formal 10-year QRISK3 cardiovascular risk. It is the most reliable way to understand your actual risk and to access personalised clinical advice. Ask your GP surgery or find a local provider at nhs.uk.