It Starts with Your Heart: Understanding Heart and Circulatory Diseases from FutureLearn

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is aimed at anyone who wants to learn more about the fundamentals of heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them. You might be personally affected by heart or circulatory diseases, or maybe you’ve recently been told you’re at risk of developing them. You may be looking to improve your knowledge so you can better support a loved one or a healthcare professional looking to help people better understand and talk about heart and circulatory diseases. Whatever you’ve come here for – we hope you take something meaningful away. No prior knowledge of heart or circulatory diseases is needed. You can use the hashtag #FLbeatheartbreakforever to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Explore what heart and circulatory diseases and their risk factors are
Understand the impact they have globally, in the UK and in our community
Explore how these diseases are connected by your circulatory system
You’ll also get a taste of how our research is beating heartbreak forever

Reviews summary

Clear introduction to heart and circulatory health

According to learners, this course provides a clear and simple introduction to understanding heart and circulatory diseases. Many found it to be a solid foundation for grasping key concepts and risk factors, making complex information digestible. Reviewers frequently commented on the engaging videos and overall easy-to-follow format. It is considered highly relevant for those seeking personal knowledge or looking to support others, including in healthcare support roles. However, some with prior medical or scientific backgrounds felt the content was too basic, suggesting it is best suited for beginners with no prior knowledge.

Videos are particularly engaging.

"The videos were engaging and the quizzes reinforced learning."

"Engaging content, especially the videos."

"I found the format very engaging, the videos were well-produced."

Useful for personal health or patient info.

"Perfect for someone like me wanting to understand my own risk factors better."

"As a healthcare support worker, I found it helpful for patient education, though it didn't go into great clinical detail."

"Highly recommend for anyone concerned about heart health."

Provides a good basic understanding.

"A good overview of heart and circulatory diseases. Covered the fundamentals well."

"Gave me a solid foundation. The structure was logical, building understanding step-by-step."

"It covers the fundamentals well. I learned so much about my heart and how lifestyle affects it."

Explains complex topics clearly.

"Explained complex topics in a simple, digestible way. Perfect for someone like me wanting to understand my own risk factors better."

"Made complex topics approachable. The information feels current, which is important."

"The content was easy to follow and the experts were knowledgeable. Highly recommend for anyone concerned about heart health."

May be too simple for advanced learners.

"Disappointing. As someone with a science background, I found this far too simplistic. Didn't learn anything new."

"Would only recommend for absolute beginners."

"didn't go into great clinical detail. It's a good starting point but not for those with medical backgrounds."

Career center

Learners who complete It Starts with Your Heart: Understanding Heart and Circulatory Diseases will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers: