First and foremost, get your blood pressure and cholesterol screened at the recommended intervals. If you do not know what your numbers are, you are at high risk.
Adults should have their blood pressure measured at least every two years after age 18. Readings should be lower than 120/80. Those who have a diagnosis of high blood pressure (hypertension) should follow the advice of their doctor for screening and treatment. Home monitoring of blood pressure is a good way to determine readings over a longer period of time and is a truer representation of a person's blood pressure than a one time measurement.
A complete "Lipid Profile" should be measured on adults every five years over the age of 20. This gives a more accurate picture of a person's cholesterol status than the fingerstick screening method, commonly done is community sites such as pharmacies. It gives the physician a measure of the various subcomponents of the total cholesterol, including HDL (the "good" cholesterol), LDL (the "bad" cholesterol), and triglycerides (a component closely related to dietary fat intake). Lipid or cholesterol disorders can take many forms, depending on which components are abnormal.
Target numbers are:
Total Cholesterol 200 or less
Low Density Lipids (LDL) 100 or less, and
High Density Lipids (HDL) 40 or greater.
Make an appointment with your doctor. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked now!
Lifestyle modifications play a large part in maintaining heart health. Exercise helps in the maintenance of ideal body weight, normalizes blood pressure, and increases the level of HDL or "good" cholesterol. A diet low in sodium is important in the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, while a low fat diet is recommended for cholesterol control. Smoking raises the blood pressure and doubles the risk of heart attack.
If lifestyle modifications are not successful in reducing high blood pressure or high cholesterol, effective medications are available. Treatment is usually based on the guidelines set forth by the National Cholesterol Education Panel (NCEP).
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