Yahoo News New DIY home test kit reveals if you are at risk of killer heart attack or stroke – how to get yours
A DIY at-home test could reveal if you are at risk of a serious heart problem. The simple checks estimate the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke in the next ten years.
A cholesterol reading can also be taken, as well as a patient's heart age and body mass index (BMI) score. They are expected to be rolled out for free on the NHS from next month.
People between 40 and 74 who are not currently on statins or blood pressure medication can order the tests for free from their GP. PocDoc, the kit's manufacturer, said taking the test and sending results to the NHS can take place within nine minutes.
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Follow-up treatment options are also offered. It comes as experts warn the number of people dying early from heart disease is at its highest level in a decade, The Sun reports.
About 39,000 people died from conditions such as heart attacks before the age of 75 in England in 2022, according to the British Heart Foundation. This is an average of more than 750 deaths a week — the highest total since 2008.
A delay in diagnosis is one of the reasons behind the surge, the charity said. The government last year announced a digital health check programme designed to deliver a million tests over four years, in addition to the face-to-face checks already being carried out.
The NHS said each digital health check could save 20 minutes of doctors' time, freeing up thousands of GP appointments. The heart check kit is the first test integrated with the NHS Health Check app.
People who are eligible for the existing NHS health check will be able to get tests through their GP from the end of June, a PocDoc spokesperson said. Others can order the kits directly from the website for £40 or at selected pharmacies for £20.
The test had already been rolled out in pharmacies and community centres in some areas, including Cambridge and Peterborough. PocDoc said it had proved to be successful in reaching 'at risk' groups, such as the over 40s, people who are overweight and those who find it difficult to access GP appointments.
