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Around 1 in 4 deaths in Australia in 2024 were caused by cardiovascular disease. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), cardiovascular disease was responsible for 42,300 deaths that year. In addition, approximately 1.3 million Australian adults were living with one or more heart, stroke or vascular conditions in 2022–24.
But here's something many people overlook: heart disease risk can build up silently, even when you feel perfectly healthy. High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and diabetes may not cause obvious symptoms, yet they can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.
This is where a cardiovascular risk assessment becomes important. It helps identify potential risk factors, estimate your risk of a heart attack or stroke, and guide decisions about prevention and ongoing care.
At Aspley Family Medical & Dental Practice (AFMDP), cardiovascular risk assessment is part of a preventive approach to healthcare. Whether you have existing risk factors or simply want to understand your heart health, a GP consultation can help you take informed steps towards protecting your long-term wellbeing.
If you live in Aspley or nearby Brisbane suburbs, understanding how a cardiovascular risk assessment works can help you take a more proactive approach to your heart health.
A cardiovascular risk assessment is a medical evaluation that examines factors that may increase your likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to a group of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. These include:
A cardiovascular risk assessment looks at your overall health rather than focusing on a single symptom or test result.
Your GP may review your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood glucose, lifestyle habits, medical history and family history to understand your risk.
For eligible adults in Australia, a GP may also conduct a formal Heart Health Check, which uses a validated risk calculator to estimate the chance of having a heart attack or stroke over the next five years.
The results can help guide a personalised plan to support better heart health.
Cardiovascular disease can develop gradually. Some risk factors, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, may not cause noticeable symptoms.
This means you could have an increased risk of heart disease even if you feel healthy.
A cardiovascular risk assessment can help you:
Early assessment does not guarantee that cardiovascular disease will be prevented. However, it can help you and your healthcare provider identify risks and take appropriate steps to manage them.
Several factors can influence your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Some can be changed through lifestyle adjustments or medical treatment, while others cannot.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, places additional strain on the heart and blood vessels.
If blood pressure remains high over time, it can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular complications.
Regular blood pressure checks can help identify hypertension, even when you have no obvious symptoms.
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in the blood. Although the body needs cholesterol to function, elevated levels of certain types of cholesterol can contribute to plaque build-up in the arteries.
This can restrict blood flow and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A blood test called a lipid profile can help assess cholesterol levels.
Diabetes can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly when blood glucose levels are not well managed.
People living with diabetes may also have other risk factors, such as high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol levels.
Regular monitoring and appropriate diabetes management can help support long-term heart health.
Smoking damages blood vessels and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Both current smoking and a history of smoking may be relevant when assessing your heart health.
Quitting smoking is an important step towards reducing cardiovascular risk.
A sedentary lifestyle can contribute to several cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, weight gain and poor blood glucose control.
Regular physical activity can support heart health and improve overall wellbeing.
A diet high in salt, saturated fat and highly processed foods may contribute to high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and other health concerns.
A balanced eating pattern that includes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and other nutritious foods can support cardiovascular health.
A family history of cardiovascular disease, particularly when a close relative developed it at a younger age, may increase your risk.
Your GP may consider this information when assessing your overall cardiovascular health.
The risk of cardiovascular disease generally increases with age.
Other conditions, including chronic kidney disease, may also influence cardiovascular risk.
Your GP considers these factors alongside your overall health and medical history.
Some people with cardiovascular disease experience symptoms, while others may not notice any signs until a serious event occurs.
Possible symptoms include:
These symptoms can have several possible causes and should not automatically be attributed to heart disease.
Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you experience symptoms that may indicate a heart attack, such as chest pain or pressure, particularly when accompanied by breathlessness, sweating, nausea or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back or shoulder.
Do not wait for a routine GP appointment if you think you may be having a heart attack or another medical emergency.
A cardiovascular risk assessment may be useful for adults who want to understand their heart health, particularly if they have one or more risk factors.
You may wish to discuss an assessment with your GP if you:
Under Australian guidance, a formal Heart Health Check is generally recommended for people without known cardiovascular disease who are:
Your GP can advise whether a Heart Health Check or another form of cardiovascular assessment is appropriate for you.
A cardiovascular risk assessment involves reviewing your health information and identifying factors that may affect your heart health.
At AFMDP, the assessment process is designed to help patients understand their cardiovascular health and discuss appropriate next steps.
Depending on your individual needs, your assessment may include the following.
Your GP may ask about:
This information helps your GP understand your overall health and identify potential risk factors.
Your blood pressure may be measured to check whether it is within a healthy range.
If your reading is elevated, your GP may recommend further monitoring or additional assessment before making a diagnosis.
Blood tests may be recommended to assess cholesterol levels and other relevant health indicators.
Your GP may also request blood glucose testing to check for diabetes or assess existing diabetes management.
The tests required depend on your medical history and individual risk factors.
Your GP may assess your weight and body mass index (BMI) as part of a broader health evaluation.
These measurements can provide useful information, but they do not give a complete picture of your health and should be interpreted alongside other clinical findings.
For eligible patients, a formal Heart Health Check includes calculating the estimated risk of a cardiovascular event over the next five years using a validated Australian risk calculator.
This assessment considers multiple factors rather than relying on a single measurement.
After reviewing your results, your GP can discuss your cardiovascular risk and recommend suitable next steps.
These may include lifestyle changes, further investigations, medication where appropriate, or regular follow-up appointments.
A cardiovascular risk assessment helps your GP understand how different risk factors work together.
For eligible patients, a formal Australian cardiovascular risk assessment categorises estimated five-year risk as:
|
Risk category |
Estimated five-year cardiovascular risk |
|
Low risk |
Less than 5% |
|
Intermediate risk |
5% to less than 10% |
|
High risk |
10% or higher |
These categories relate to the estimated likelihood of a cardiovascular event over five years. They are not a prediction of exactly what will happen to an individual.
Your GP will explain what your results mean and discuss appropriate management options.
Even if your estimated risk is low, maintaining healthy habits and attending recommended health checks remain important.
Although some risk factors cannot be changed, many cardiovascular risk factors can be managed through lifestyle changes and appropriate medical care.
Here are some practical steps that may help support your heart health.
Choose a balanced eating pattern that includes:
Limiting excess salt, saturated fat and highly processed foods may also help support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Regular physical activity supports heart health, blood pressure management and overall fitness.
Adults are generally encouraged to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activity, as appropriate for their health.
If you have an existing medical condition or have not been physically active for some time, speak with your GP about a suitable activity plan.
Maintaining a weight that supports your overall health may help reduce certain cardiovascular risk factors.
Your GP can discuss practical and realistic approaches to weight management based on your individual circumstances.
Stopping smoking can improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk associated with tobacco use.
If you smoke and would like support to quit, your GP can discuss available options and resources.
Ongoing stress and poor sleep can affect overall wellbeing and may make healthy habits more difficult to maintain.
A consistent sleep routine, regular physical activity and appropriate stress-management strategies can support general health.
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or chronic kidney disease, following your treatment plan and attending recommended reviews can help manage your cardiovascular risk.
Your GP can advise how frequently you should have your health indicators checked.
At Aspley Family Medical & Dental Practice (AFMDP), cardiovascular risk assessment is part of a broader approach to preventive and chronic disease care.
The practice provides cardiovascular risk assessment services in Aspley, helping patients identify potential risk factors and discuss appropriate ways to manage them.
Depending on your health needs, care may involve:
AFMDP also provides chronic disease management and preventive health services, supporting patients who need ongoing care for conditions that may affect cardiovascular health.
The goal is to help patients make informed decisions about their health and understand the steps they can take to manage their risk.
A single assessment provides information about your cardiovascular risk at a particular point in time.
However, your health can change as you age or develop new medical conditions.
Regular health checks can help your GP monitor important indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels.
Follow-up appointments also provide an opportunity to review medications, discuss lifestyle changes and update your management plan when needed.
Your GP can recommend how often you should have a cardiovascular risk assessment based on your age, medical history and individual risk factors.
Understanding your cardiovascular risk is an important step towards protecting your long-term health.
Whether you have high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of heart disease or simply want to understand your heart health, speaking with your GP can help you decide whether a cardiovascular risk assessment is right for you.
At Aspley Family Medical & Dental Practice, patients can discuss their cardiovascular health, review relevant risk factors and explore personalised prevention and management options.
Book an appointment with AFMDP in Aspley to discuss your cardiovascular risk assessment and take a proactive approach to your heart health.
Practice: Aspley Family Medical & Dental Practice (AFMDP)
Address: Shop 1, Aspley Arcade 2 Shopping Centre, 1368 Gympie Road, Aspley QLD 4034
Phone: (07) 3263 9951
A cardiovascular risk assessment is a medical evaluation that considers factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, age and family history to estimate your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
A Heart Health Check helps eligible adults understand their estimated risk of having a heart attack or stroke over the next five years and discuss ways to manage that risk.
Under Australian guidance, formal cardiovascular risk assessment is generally recommended for eligible adults aged 45–79, people with diabetes aged 35–79, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 30–79 who do not already have cardiovascular disease. Your GP can advise you based on your circumstances.
Yes. Conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol may not cause noticeable symptoms. Some people may have cardiovascular disease without knowing it, which is why appropriate health checks are important.
Depending on your health needs, your GP may review blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, medical history, lifestyle factors and other relevant health indicators. A formal Heart Health Check also includes a cardiovascular risk calculation.
A formal Heart Health Check is generally designed as a consultation of at least 20 minutes. The time needed for a broader cardiovascular assessment may vary depending on your health and the investigations required.
Lifestyle changes such as eating a balanced diet, being physically active, quitting smoking and managing existing health conditions can help reduce certain cardiovascular risk factors. Your GP can recommend changes suited to your needs.
No. Blood pressure is only one part of cardiovascular risk. Cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, age, family history and other factors can also influence your overall risk.
The recommended frequency depends on your age, health history and risk factors. Your GP can advise when you should have another assessment or follow-up.
You can contact Aspley Family Medical & Dental Practice (AFMDP) at Shop 1, Aspley Arcade 2 Shopping Centre, 1368 Gympie Road, Aspley QLD 4034, or call (07) 3263 9951 to discuss an appointment.
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