The heart is one of our vital organs; here are some facts you need to know about yours this National Heart Month. 

• Your heart is a pump

The heart is a pump that sends blood around your body to keep you alive; beating around 100,000 times a day and continuously pumping eight pints around the circulatory system. This blood is essential to deliever oxygen and nutrients all over the body and carries away carbon dioxide and waste products. 

• Roughly the size of your fist

As well as being around the same size of your fist, your heart is made up of four chambers, these four chambers need a constant supply of blood; most heart attacks occur when a blockage has formed within an artery essential for the delivery of oxygen. 

• Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the number one killer 

It is caused by a build-up of waxy, fatty material called atheroma within the walls of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. When the arteries become too narrow due to the build-up they cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to your heart. This causes angina, which has symptoms such as pain or heaviness in your chest, while some people can also feel a shortness of breath. Most heart attacks are caused by CHD, when a piece of atheroma breaks off the artery and forms a blockage.

• Know the risk factors 

The risk factors of CHD include smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, being overweight or obese, and being physically inactive. Hereditary and ethnic factors can increase your risk too. Read more on Healthy Heart Tips and Lowering your Cholesterol to reduce your risk. 

• Lifestyle Choices 

The choices you make can heavily influence your risk of heart disease; stopping smoking is vital as well as being active every day.