Almost 450 people die every day because of heart and circulatory diseases.

More than 150,00 people die in the UK each year due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), according to the British Heart Foundation.

Currently there are seven million people living with heart and circulatory disease in the UK, with heart disease the leading cause of death worldwide.

A spokesperson for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Neal Patel, said: “As well as helping patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) to take their medicines in the way that’s best for them, pharmacists can also give advice and support on eating a healthy diet and exercise, which have significant impacts on individual health.

“Some pharmacies also offer services such as smoking cessation and weight management services which will further reduce heart health risks . Others may also offer blood pressure, Body Mass Index and cholesterol screening and NHS Health Checks which can all  help detect the risk of CHD in the first place.

“In addition, the New Medicine Service is available for patients prescribed a new medicine for the first time for high blood pressure.  This gives patients the time & space to discuss any concerns about their medicine, such as side effects or what to do if they miss a dose.”

Coronary heart disease - angina and heart attacks - congenital heart disease and stroke are all different types of CVD.

Risk factors for CVD include, smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, being diabetic, age and being overweight or obese.

A main cause of CVD is atherosclerosis, the thickening of arteries by a build up of fatty acids inside their walls.

Over a period of time, the blood vessels become so narrow due to a build up of fat that blood cannot deliver enough oxygen around your body.