Stop smoking
Stopping smoking is the single most important change for your heart. Your risk starts to fall soon after you stop. Your local stop smoking service can help, for free.
Eat for your heart
- eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains
- choose unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, nuts and oily fish
- cut down on saturated fat, such as fatty meat, butter and pastries
- eat less salt
Stay active
Regular activity strengthens your heart. Build up slowly. Cardiac rehabilitation is a safe place to start. Aim for 150 minutes a week of activity that makes you a little breathless. Stop and rest if you get chest pain.
Alcohol
Keep to 14 units a week or less, spread over several days, with some alcohol-free days.
Stress and mood
It is very common to feel anxious or low after a heart diagnosis or heart attack. Talk to your GP or cardiac rehab team. Talking therapies and support groups can help.
Driving
After a heart attack, stent or heart surgery, you will need to stop driving for a while, usually between 1 and 4 weeks for car drivers. Some people also need to tell the DVLA, and the rules are stricter for bus and lorry drivers. Check GOV.UK and ask your heart team.
Sex
Most people can return to sex once they can manage everyday activity, such as climbing two flights of stairs, without chest pain. Talk to your GP or rehab team if you are worried. Some medicines for erection problems must not be taken with GTN.
Support
The British Heart Foundation has a free helpline with cardiac nurses and an online community.
Sources we used
- British Heart Foundation, Living with a heart condition
- NHS, Coronary heart disease
- GOV.UK, Angina and driving
We check this page at least once a year, and sooner when the rules change. Read how we check our facts, or tell us if something looks wrong.