I’m sure that many people will already have seen this article in the Guardian with the link to the NHS website. Warning: the result might alarm some people (it did me), so you might be better off not checking.
What’s your heart age?: I’m sure that... - Atrial Fibrillati...
What’s your heart age?
67 Replies
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My result made me laugh! I don't believe it.
• in reply to
Well do tell us....ive told mine !
• in reply to
Yes, I was in my 90's too! 95, so 24 years ahead of my actual age. I don't feel as if my heart is 95 when it comes to walking up a hill. Perhaps I made a mistake somewhere.
• in reply to
I repeated this more recently and yes i too laughed! What else can you do apart from ensuring your affairs are in order....
• in reply to
Well, I'm very surprised to have lived on so long and consider myself very fortunate. I hoped I might reach 50 and was amazed to get to 60 and see both my children over 21 and everything beyond that has been a big bonus.
Before my second ablation, I had the wobbles and did a new Will and other final details and a statement of wishes in the event of incapacity.
• in reply to
Much the same for me.
• in reply to
And your house is clean!
Jay10• in reply to
I also got 95 and when I checked if losing weight, lowering blood pressure and cholesteral would help it didnt alter from telling me I would get to 84 before stroke problems! Not going to take any notice 🙂🙂
• in reply to
I'm 74 but according to the questionnaire I should be dead. I do fall for tests like this. Lately I was perusing youtube (a great pasttime sometimes) and stumbled across several short blurbs with facts about those of us who have Rh negative blood. Apparently we weren't born on this planet but are aliens! True! Browse and you'll find it. So how do I change my birth certificate? Does this make me an illegal immigrant here in the US? Don't tell Trump! irina
seasider18• in reply to
Mine to. I left out my cholesterol as I could not remember it.
It said:
"Your risk of having a heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years is 64.7%
Your heart age is an estimate because you don't know all your numbers.
We've based your result on the national average. If you have high cholesterol, your heart age could be as high as 95, but if it is healthy it could be as low as 95." ??????????????????????
I'll be 84 on Saturday. I'll do it again with my actual cholesterol figures.
Said my heart age was 27 years older than i am and i will die in 9 years time. I will let you know how i get on.
• in reply tojonjub
Similar to me... I really shouldn't be here!
It seems to assume that if you've had AF then you're doomed. I think if it's identified (i.e. AF) and then controlled you are much LESS likely to die early than someone who is oblivious and doesn't get the right medication to help prevent AF and the associated risk of heart attack and/or stroke.
I did something like this a couple of years ago when I was feeling full of the joys of life . Gave my heart age in the 90s !! Oh well.....
I did it too. My heart age is 27 years older than me! Help!!
Farewell everyone!!!
• in reply tojeanjeannie50
I found that my heart age was in the low 80s (I’m 63) and that I expect to live to 78. I recompleted the test without putting in the Afib and it didn’t make much difference. I’m a bit suspicious about the test as a friend who has slightly raised blood pressure and who has quit smoking and has no other conditions only had an extra year or so above mine.
jeanjeannie50• in reply to
It's strange isn't it. My heart age was 71, 4 years older than my age and I'll live to 82. My cholesterol level is good from what I can make out looking at my medical records online, being 4.8
• in reply tojeanjeannie50
Don't go yet Jean, not until we've had breakfast in Exeter Lol! 
jeanjeannie50• in reply to
Ok, I'll wait until after then! Can't miss my one fried breakfast of the year!
CDreamer• in reply to
Ooh are you coming ? It will be so nice to meet people in person.
I wonder why we have all come out so high! Mine was 91 and I’m soon to be 76. So glad it’s not just me, got quite worried.
Di
There is a paper here which discusses some of the problems with this sort of questionnaire:
bmccardiovascdisord.biomedc...
It mentions that 4 ot of 5 people have a “heart age” older than their actual age. I have not yet found a precise definition of “heart age” nor an assemment if how reliable the questionnaire is. I have been discussing this with two friends who have scientific background, and one of them raised the possibility that “heart age” may be a pseudoscientific concept.
OMG !
I'm well stuffed ………… heart age of 95, real age 74, but, no chance of a stroke or heart attack until I'm 82 …………. wheeeeeeee, back on the Argentinian Malbec
jeanjeannie50• in reply to
Hmm, are you sure you answered honestly?😒
I understood the age they gave was your life expectency
Well mine is 72 (I’m 68) and evidently I can live until I’m 82 without worrying about heart attack or stroke. Funnily enough the 2 factors that pushed my age up were cholesterol - 6.2 which I’m really happy with as the ratios are good and my weight - but when I pressed the ‘find out how lowering your BMI will lessen your heart age” button - it was still the same 72.
Not impressed really.
• in reply toCDreamer
It’s quite interesting to complete the questionnaire several times putting in different answers- often the items you expect would make a difference don’t, and vice versa.
Also it’s worth remembering that to say that someone who is , say, 70 has a “heart age” of 80 does not mean that they have a heart in the same condition as that of an 80 year old. Personally, I think it is remisss of those who promote this test not to have put in a definition “heart age” at the head of the questionnaire otherwise it may make some people anxious. I think the main idea behind the questionnaire is to shock people into making lifestyle changes.
Agreed....xx
Mine was 95 but I'm only 62 I will however live to be 84
I had Cad AF and family history so grateful if i have another 22 years to go if i dont get run down by a bus
Annoyingly my husband's heart was 3 years younger than his real age but still predicted to live till 84 so it doesn't add up
I was more interested in the new SBMI site that assured me that although I am slightly overweight by a few pounds I shouldn't try to lose any more as it factors in age ...where's that toblerone ?
• in reply tofairgo45
Right next to the Cadbury Fruit and Nut bars.
I have a pacemaker so puts me at an advantage or is it a disadvantage lol
• in reply toopal11uk
I think it's an advantage. At least that's what Seymour told me. (My pacemaker's name.) He says now that I've got a fairly accurate expiration date please cook more fryups. I'm stopping now-my mind is getting overwhelmed with all this info. Knowledge is power.!
I'm 36 in a few weeks. My heart age is 39 - I didn't know so didn't enter my cholesterol. But it's always been "normal"
My BP is "high normal" yet when its' been below 120 systolic the hospital tend to get a bit twitchy.
Not reading too much into it generally.
Ha ha .....same here....Im 70 but heart age 95! Clearly AF completely distorts the equation. And how many if us know our blood pressure and cholesterol levels. So I think that test is very alarming.
Actually if you have any heart condition, you should be getting a 6 monthly check-up from your GP which includes BP, cholesterol, mineral levels, kidney and liver checks, etc, etc. If not then shout at your GP now !
• in reply toMike11
Does this apply to Afib? I’ve only been diagnosed recently and the surgery made no mention of a six month checkup. They also ignored the recommendation of the hospital that I have a holter test. I was sent to a specialist nurse instead of a consultant (she was excellent, but I would like to have spoken to a consultant who had a more
in-depth knowledge of the research etc.)
Mike11• in reply to
Yes it does apply to Afib - even post ablation. I also get a 12 lead ECG done annually so I have a continuous record, and you should also get echo-cardiograms done every few years as well. It is essential to track if anything is getting worse before it becomes critical.
I don't see how they can ignore having a Holter test if the hospital said to have it, but in fact surely the hospital should have booked that, not your GP.
However seeing a consultant is hard unless you pay for it. There are far too many patients and not enough doctors so the specialist nurses are there to cut their load and only let through the patients with real problems. But the £200 to see one is money well spent because you get to ask all the questions - just make sure it is an EP and not a cardiologist as they don't understand electricity
Either my surgery doesn't know about the tests or they are ignoring them. I think they should have an AF nurse as well as an asthma nurse.
One of the GPs in the practice should be designated the cardiac specialist, just as there are for other key areas such as babies, asthma, mental illness, cancer, etc. They get a bonus depending on how well the practice reduces it's cardiac ill-health. Find out who that GP is and speak to them directly.
Not doubting you at all but where does this advice come from, is it NICE? I need to be able to refer to it, preferably waving a printout! It may be AF is not counted at our surgery if you don't have plumbing problems......
I'm not sure really. My GP just initiated all the regular tests as my health has deteriorated over the years - first asthma, then hypercholesterol, and then heart. She's just added a diabetes test every 6 months as I was getting marginal to pre-diabetes on my 3 yearly check as well.
But to be honest if you're having to wave a printout at your GP to get decent treatment, I think finding a new GP might be a better option.
• in reply toMike11
I absolutely agree. Talk with an Electrophysiologist not a cardiologist. Some are excellent but many are just not that involved in A-fib care. I do watch Dr Sanjay Gupta's videos (York). I think he is a cardiologist and not an EP. but I may be wrong. In my book he is a cut above. We have a well-known dr here in the states also named Sanjay Gupta. He is a well known neurosurgeon here in Atlanta and often does commentaries on CNN news.
My heart age is 71 (I'm 67) but if I repeated it with no AF my heart age drops to 63! So 8 years added for AF.
I’m 60 but have a heart age of 83. Like others have said the questionnaire is not asking if your AF is being treated. Also if you exercise or follow a healthy diet.
Idid my husband and mine(he is perfectly healthy) we both had identical results 95 what a load of rubbish.
My heart is apparently 10 years older than I am and I have not that many more years left Oh well don’t believe those sort of assessments. They are very arbitrary and don’t take many factors into account. My heart is as old as it is and so far is still ticking so will go out and enjoy the cooler weather and another sunny day.
It’s ridiculous any one that can fall for this needs to reflect
Absolutely does not ask the right questions or takes in to consideration other important factors we know to kill
Wow it must be a joke 😀
Yes mine said 87 ! And I'm only 62, always been non-smoker, etc. Even reducing weight (currently BMI is exactly 25) only reduced it a year.
All this will do is throw the whole nation into a Tizz Wazz and fill up the Doctors. If you follow this you will end up Gaunt, Bored and want to jump off a bridge through lack of treats. Bring back the Ministry of Information and food it was much better and more fun to watch,
Absolutely I am 68 and it told me my heart was 82 and I was likely to die at 81 but the good news was that losing weight was not going to help so I can stop the diet!
I found my heart age was higher than my real age even though I have low cholesterol, normal BP, perfect BMI, etc. We have decided not to do the test for my 82 year old husband in case we find he has died without us noticing 😂
It is a very poor test. The parameters are too narrow.Even with good markers, you still get a heart age not under your own current age.
While it's an indicator of sorts, everyone is different and there are ways to strengthen your heart and ameliorate our life's stresses on it. Some folks live to be 100, so you lose 15-20% that's still 80 or so years old. Not bad. How many of us can afford to live much longer? They said for years that butter was worse for you than margarine, now it's the reverse! I always stayed with butter and now I have validation! Besides it just tastes better.
Well like a sucker I had to have a crack at this test and was a tad surprised my heart age was 66 and I’m 53. I haven’t a clue what my BP is or Cholesterol but generally when checked in the past they have been within norm range. My BMI is 25.1 and it suggests I am approx 3kgs overweight ( despite having a body fat percentage well into the ideal zone for age and height). I retook the test to see what difference it would make if my BMI was 24 ie lose the 3kgs. The test suggested that I would die a year earlier...so I’m not double wasting time shredding that 3kgs 😁
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