Heart Risk Factors In Middle Age Can Cut Life Span By Up To 15 Years

Middle aged men who smoke, have high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels can expect a 10-15 year shorter life expectancy from age 50 compared with men without these risk factors, concludes research published on bmj.com today. Death rates from heart disease in the United Kingdom have declined steadily since the early 1970s, resulting in substantial improvements in life expectancy.