Davina McCall reveals cardiovascular disease diagnosis – here are the signs and risk factors to know
Knowing the warning signs and causes of cardiovascular disease allows for early detection, prevention and timely medical intervention.
English broadcaster Davina McCall, 59, opened up about her cardiovascular disease (CVD) diagnosis for the first time on her podcast, following her battles with cancer and a brain tumour.
Speaking on her podcast, Begin Again, the TV presenter said: “I wanted to let you know, I also have cardiovascular disease, and this is a very important conversation to have.”
McCall noted in the episode that she was told she had high cholesterol before being diagnosed.
The former Big Brother host said: “I had high cholesterol and had it for quite a long time.
“It was deemed I had good cholesterol and that offset the bad or something.”
The TV presenter also urged women not to “brush things off”.
She said: “Heart attacks and cardiovascular disease is rife out there, particularly in women post-menopause.
“If there’s one takeaway today, it’s not to brush things off.”
We spoke to Dr Lucy Hooper, private GP and co-founder of Coyne Medical who has a particular clinical interest in cardiovascular health, who highlighted the main risk factors and warning signs of cardiovascular disease that everyone should know.
What is cardiovascular disease?
“Cardiovascular disease encompasses a whole range of conditions, including coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure,” says Hooper. “So, it’s much broader than just a heart attack, which is often the first thing that people jump to.”
There are more than eight million people in the UK living with cardiovascular disease, according to the British Heart Foundation.
What are the risk factors?
“Some of the non-modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease include things like your family history and age,” says Hooper.
Having high levels of lipoprotein (a) – proteins and fats that help carry fats around your body – can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke, according to the British Heart Foundation website.
“This marker is largely genetic,” says Hooper.
However, around 70 per cent of the UK’s cardiovascular burden is associated with modifiable risk factors, according to the British Heart Foundation.
“High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking are some of the main modifiable risk factors,” says Hooper.
“In addition, metabolic health conditions (such as diabetes or insulin resistance), your activity levels and nutrition patterns are also regarded as modifiable factors that can impact your risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Chronic kidney disease is another major risk factor for cardiovascular disease that often gets missed.”
She adds that women’s risk of cardiovascular disease can also increase through certain stages of life.
“Any history of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes during pregnancy can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Hooper.
“In addition, women who go through menopause earlier (premature menopause) are also at an increased risk of of cardiovascular disease.”
She adds that certain inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis and autoimmune disease, which are more common in females, can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
What are some warning signs that people shouldn’t ignore?
“For most people, a lot of sudden cardiovascular events don’t come with any warning, which is why managing your risk factors is so important,” says Hooper.
However, she notes that there are a few subtle symptoms that people often miss, such as chest pain.
“It doesn’t have to be an agonising chest pain. It may be more of an ache, a nagging pain or discomfort or a tightness feeling,” highlights Hooper.
Breathlessness is another symptom that you shouldn’t ignore.
“If you used to be able to easily walk up staircases but now you can’t do that without feeling really breathless or really tired at the top, then that could be a really important sign to flag with your doctor,” says Hooper.
“Other symptoms also include feeling nauseated, vomiting or being fatigued. If these symptoms keep coming back, then it’s important to not ignore them.”
Can we do anything to decrease our risk of cardiovascular disease?
“Being proactive and managing risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure is really important,” says Hooper.
“Knowing your numbers is key. You can get your blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels measured on the NHS or privately.”
Simple lifestyle changes can help reverse or stabilise rising numbers.
“Increasing activity levels, stopping smoking if you’re a smoker and focusing on nutrition can all help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Hooper.
“A Mediterranean diet with low salt intake is often advised.”
She adds that even small changes can make a big difference.
“Adding more fibre into your diet is one of the most undervalued things for lowering cholesterol that people often forget about,” says Hooper.
There are also lots of different medications available that can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, such as statins.
“People shouldn’t be afraid of of taking medication if it means that they will go on to live a longer, healthier life,” says Hooper.