Heart Health Checklist: 8 Practical Steps to a Stronger Heart
At Marylebone Diagnostic Centre – your trusted heart screening & diagnostic partner in London
Why Heart Health Matters
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of illness and mortality in the UK and globally. Many cases are preventable by early detection, lifestyle adjustments, and monitoring risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
As a specialist diagnostic centre located in Marylebone, London, we provide advanced cardiovascular screening, imaging, and expert interpretation of results to help you take control of your heart health.
Your Heart Health Checklist
1. Schedule Regular Diagnostic Screenings
- Blood Pressure Monitoring – Hypertension often has no obvious symptoms but places extra strain on your heart and arteries.
- Lipid / Cholesterol Testing – To detect elevated LDL or triglycerides, which can build up in arteries.
- Glucose / HbA1c / Diabetes Screening – Elevated blood sugar damages blood vessels and increases cardiovascular risk.
- C-reactive protein / hs-CRP & Inflammatory Markers – Additional biomarkers may help refine risk.
- ECG / EKG / Electrocardiogram – To detect arrhythmias, ischemia or other electrical abnormalities.
- Echocardiogram / Heart Ultrasound – To assess cardiac structure and function (e.g. valve disease, heart failure).
- CT Coronary Calcium Scan / Coronary CT Angiography – To assess coronary artery plaque burden (if clinically indicated).
- Stress Test / Exercise ECG – To evaluate how your heart responds under workload (treadmill, bicycle).
As Marylebone Diagnostic Centre, we combine non-invasive and advanced imaging modalities to provide a comprehensive cardiovascular assessment tailored to you.
2. Keep Moving – Physical Activity & Exercise
- Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (brisk walking, cycling, swimming).
- Include strength training / resistance exercises at least 2 days per week.
- Incorporate incidental activity (stairs, walking, active breaks).
- If you’re restarting after illness or a long break, our clinical team can help devise a safe exercise plan.
3. Choose a Heart-Friendly Diet
- Emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts.
- Lean protein sources: fish (especially oily fishlike salmon, mackerel), poultry, beans, lentils.
- Reduce saturated fats, trans fats, excessive salt and sugar, and processed foods.
- Include sources of omega-3 fatty acids (fish, chia, flaxseed) and fibre.
- Stay hydrated and moderate portions.
- If needed, we offer dietary / nutritional consulting support to design meal plans aligned with cardiac health.
4. Maintain a Healthy Weight & Waist Circumference
- Excess weight (especially abdominal fat) is a risk factor for hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
- Target a body mass index (BMI) in the healthy range (18.5–24.9) and a waist circumference under recommended thresholds (Men < 94 cm, Women < 80 cm, though ethnic-specific thresholds vary).
- Our diagnostic centre can provide body composition analysis / DEXA / bioimpedance to precisely evaluate fat vs. lean tissue.
5. Quit Smoking & Limit Alcohol Consumption
- Smoking / vaping / tobacco use damages blood vessels, accelerates atherosclerosis, and increases clot risk.
- Even occasional smoking raises cardiovascular risk.
- Alcohol: moderate intake (if any); excess alcohol raises blood pressure, promotes weight gain, and can harm the heart.
- We can refer you to cessation programmes, counselling, or pharmacologic support if needed.
6. Manage Stress, Anxiety & Sleep Quality
- Chronic stress raises cortisol and blood pressure, and can drive unhealthy habits (overeating, poor sleep).
- Techniques: deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation.
- Seek psychological support / counselling if anxiety or depression is present.
- Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep. Poor sleep is linked to hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic dysregulation.
As part of our holistic diagnostic services, we can incorporate sleep studies / sleep lab referrals or assessments where relevant.
7. Monitor and Control Blood Pressure & Lipids
- If diagnosed with hypertension or dyslipidaemia (high LDL, triglycerides), adhere strictly to treatment and monitoring schedules.
- Keep a home blood pressure monitor and log readings.
- Have follow-up tests after starting medication or making lifestyle changes.
- We provide follow-up monitoring programs and package health checks that re-assess cardiovascular biomarkers periodically.
8. Recognise Early Warning Signs & Seek Prompt Care
Call or visit a medical professional immediately if you experience:
- Chest pain, tightness, heaviness
- Shortness of breath, especially on exertion
- Dizziness, fainting, sudden weakness or numbness
- Palpitations, irregular heartbeats, fluttering
- Unexpected fatigue, cold sweats, nausea
- Swelling in legs, ankles, or sudden weight gain (congestive symptoms)
Don’t ignore symptoms — early diagnosis and treatment make a difference. Our diagnostic centre can fast-track evaluation, imaging, and specialist referrals if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What should a heart health checklist include?
A robust checklist covers lifestyle factors (exercise, diet, sleep, stress), modifiable risk markers (blood pressure, lipids, glucose), imaging / diagnostic tests, and behaviour modification (quit smoking, moderate alcohol).
How often should I have heart-related diagnostics?
For generally healthy adults, annual screening is a reasonable minimum. But if you have risk factors (family history, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking), you may need more frequent assessments or monitoring every 3–6 months.
Can diet and lifestyle changes really reduce heart disease risk?
Yes – many studies show that weight loss, improved diet, regular exercise, and quitting smoking significantly reduce cardiovascular risk, often comparable to or enhancing medication effects.
What role do imaging tests play?
Diagnostic imaging (echocardiogram, CT calcium scoring, MRI, stress echo) help detect structural heart disease, coronary plaque burden, valve issues, or functional problems even before symptoms appear.
Is a private diagnostic centre better than standard primary care?
A specialist diagnostic centre like ours offers faster access, state-of-the-art imaging & tests, expert interpretation, and tailored follow-up plans – ideal for people who want proactive, comprehensive heart health evaluation.
Why Choose Marylebone Diagnostic Centre?
- Convenient central London location (Marylebone) with easy transport access.
- Same day / rapid appointment and fast turnaround on test results.
- Multi-modality diagnostics: ECG, echocardiography, CT coronary angiography, stress testing, lab biomarkers, advanced imaging.
- Expert cardiologists, radiologists, clinical scientists, and support staff.
- Integrated care: we coordinate referrals to cardiology, vascular surgery, endocrinology, and general medicine as needed.
- Personalized packages (basic, advanced, premium) for heart / cardiovascular screening.
- Patient-centric approach: clear reports, face-to-face review, risk stratification, lifestyle plan.
Take the Next Step: Book Your Cardiac Screening
Your heart deserves proactive attention. With Marylebone Diagnostic Centre by your side, you can move forward with confidence.
- Book online or call us for a comprehensive cardiovascular health package.
- Ask us about tailored screening plans, follow-up monitoring, or consultations with our cardiology team.
- Same-day appointments available – don’t wait to prioritise your heart.
