One in ten British men aged 50 are at an increased risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke because their heart age is 10 years older than they are, a study has found.
It is predicted 7,400 people will die from heart disease or a stroke in September alone, according to analysis from Public Health England (PHE).
The study, which was based on responses from 1.2 million people, found that of the 33,000 50-year-old men that took part one-tenth had a dangerously high heart age.
It also found that half of the people studied did not know their blood pressure and about 5.6 million people living in England have high blood pressure without knowing.
The British Heart Foundation said the study was “extremely worrying”.
Dr Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation, told the BBC: “These silent conditions can lead to a deadly heart attack or stroke if untreated."
PHE's head of cardiovascular disease Jamie Waterall said: “Addressing our risk of heart disease and stroke should not be left until we are older.”
Heart disease is the main cause of death among men and second among women.
A version of the Heart Age Test offered by Public Health England is available on the British Heart Foundation website.
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