Heart doctor says ‘number one killer in the world’ comes from three different problems

When it comes to looking after our own bodies, there are few things more important than our heart.

After all, it's our ticker that keeps us going through the day, and keeping it healthy for as long as possible gives you a good chance of living a long life.

While there are certain diseases and cancers that can strike at any time, we can give ourselves a pretty good chance of avoiding heart issues if we follow some important steps.

Dr Jeremy London, an American cardiovascular surgeon, shares his health advice online to thousands of followers and after clarifying which foods are almost certain to reduce our lifespan, the doc is back to advise on how one of the world's deadliest diseases can often stem from three different problems.

The health expert suggests that 'heart disease is the number one killer worldwide' and goes on to explain the three main problems that lead to the life-threatening illness.

Heart disease is a huge problem across the world (Getty Stock)

He says: "The first is a fuel problem. And that's when a blockage occurs in one of the heart arteries that lives on the surface of the heart. You get plaque, cholesterol, and calcium build up that can actually block the blood flow, starving the heart muscle below from necessary oxygen and nutrients. This can cause symptoms and potentially eventually a heart attack. And this is the bucket where most of the deaths worldwide come from."

One way in which people can keep an eye on their cholesterol levels is to actually check the state of their finger and toenails, with the NHS urging people to check there regularly for signs of the 'silent killer'.

Dr Jeremy adds: "Number two is an architectural or structural problem. This usually occur occurs on the inside of the heart with the heart valves themselves. Either blocked valves or leaking valves. Now, aortic stenosis or a blocked aortic valve is the most common valvular problem that requires treatment. This is usually picked up by simply listening to the heart with a stethoscope and it's confirmed with a non-invasive echocardiogram."

Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death, with the World Health Organisation suggesting that it claims the lives of around 17.9 million people each year.

Dr Jeremy concluded: "Third is an electrical problem. The heart has an amazing electrical system that transmits signals from the top of the heart down to the bottom in a very regular fashion. Abnormalities can occur where the heart rate is too slow, too fast, or irregular.

"The most common that requires treatment, and you may be familiar with it, is atrial fibrillation where the top chambers of the heart beat very irregularly.

"This is a very [un]coordinated, inefficient rhythm, and the consequent ventricles or the bottom chambers beat very irregularly. Now, this is typically diagnosed with a simple EKG or a heart monitor that's worn at home for a period of time."