What's happening to our hearts as we get older?

As we mature, it's easy to notice the changes we can see - such as shifts in our skin, muscle tone, or even hair colour - but far less obvious are the changes happening beneath the surface, particularly in the heart.

- 

Exercise and quitting smoking can help slow changes in the heart

Heart muscle can decrease in size

"Across the whole body, muscles tend to lose their mass over time, and we are becoming more conscious about trying to reverse the speed of that decline," says Dr Anish Bhuva, consultant cardiologist at HCA Healthcare UK The Wellington Hospital.

"There are also small changes in the heart muscle which means it becomes thinner with time as well. That usually doesn't cause much harm in itself, but it is a process you can see with ageing."

Aortic stenosis

"There are four valves in your heart and all of them open and close with every heartbeat over a person's lifetime," says Dr Bhuva. "The purpose of the heart valves is to support efficient blood flow and stop it going backwards."