What is a heart risk check?

A heart risk check is a way to find out your risk of a heart attack or stroke. We explain what is involved in a heart risk check. We also share ways you can lower your risk.

Doctor consulting elderly male patient in a modern medical office, with computer monitors in the background and patient records visible on the desk.

A heart risk check estimates how likely you are to have a heart attack or stroke in the next five years. This may be done at an appointment with your doctor or nurse, or they may estimate this without you present. Ask your doctor or nurse for your heart risk check results.

It’s also called a:

  • heart check
  • heart risk assessment 
  • cardiovascular disease risk assessment (CVDRA)
  • heart and diabetes check.

If you are not enrolled with a doctor or a medical clinic, here is how you can find a doctor.

What’s involved in a heart risk check?

You can ask your doctor or nurse for a heart risk check. A heart risk check is likely to involve a conversation about your personal risk factors for heart attack and stroke, and a blood test, blood pressure check, and height and weight measurement.

Your doctor or nurse will use this information to calculate your estimated risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Understanding your results

Your heart risk check result is given as a percentage (%).

If you have a 10% risk, it means that out of 100 people like you, about 10 will have a heart attack or stroke in the next five years.

As a rough guide:

  • under 5% is low risk
  • 5–15% is moderate risk
  • over 15% is high risk.

Your doctor or nurse will then discuss ways you can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.

What age should I have my first heart risk check?

The age you should start having heart risk checks depends on your ethnicity and other risk factors, such as personal and family health history and if you smoke.

 MenWomen
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetesYearlyYearly
 

If you’ve been diagnosed with a severe mental illness, including:

  • schizophrenia
  • major depressive disorder
  • bipolar disorder
  • schizoaffective disorder.

If you’re not sure if this applies to you, contact your doctor before booking an appointment.

25 years old25 years old
If you’re Māori, Pacific or South Asian (including Indian, Fijian Indian, Sri Lankan, Afghani, Bangladeshi, Nepalese, Pakistani and Tibetan).30 years old40 years old

If you’ve got other known risk factors:

  • Smoking
  • BMI of over 30, or your waist measurement is ≥102 cm (men) or ≥88 cm (women)
  • Had diabetes during pregnancy
  • Diagnosed with atrial fibrillation
  • A parent, brother or sister who had a heart attack or stroke before age 50
  • A parent, brother or sister with diabetes
  • Familial hypercholesterolaemia (genetic high cholesterol as diagnosed by a doctor) 
35 years old45 years old
You don’t have any known risk factors45 years old55 years old

How often do I need a heart risk check?

This will depend on your personal risk of heart attack and stroke. Your doctor or nurse will discuss this with you after your first heart risk check. 

How can I lower my risk?

You have an important role to play in your health. The choices you make every day can lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke and help maintain a healthy heart. Even small changes can make a difference. 

Although there are a few risk factors you can’t change (age, ethnicity and family history), there’s more that you can change. These include your blood pressure, cholesterol, what you eat and drink, whether you smoke, and how much physical activity you do.

Knowing your risk can help you decide to make positive changes.

Nine red circular icons illustrate essential heart health tips, including managing diabetes, controlling blood pressure, maintaining healthy cholesterol, achieving a healthy weight, making healthier food and drink choices, increasing physical activity, qu

Learn more about lowering your risk