Know your heart-health numbers

Tests of your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight can tell you a lot about your heart health. They can help you understand whether you’re at risk for a heart or vascular condition and whether certain changes, such as eating healthier or getting more exercise, can protect your heart in the long term.

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Important heart health numbers you should know

Blood pressure

Your heart and blood vessels work harder when you have high blood pressure, and as a result, you can develop many cardiovascular conditions, including arrhythmia, heart attack and stroke. Lowering your blood pressure can reduce your risk of these conditions.

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels. Measurements are represented as a fraction:

  • The top number is your systolic blood pressure, the force of blood when your heart beats.
  • The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure, the force of blood between beats.

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less.

Keeping your numbers within healthy ranges

Your primary care provider performs many of these tests during your annual physical. If any of the numbers seem high, your provider can offer recommendations for how to get them within healthy ranges.

Your provider may be more proactive with treatments if your numbers suggest you may have metabolic syndrome, a collection of factors that put you at higher risk for heart disease.

Metabolic syndrome occurs when you have at least three of the following:

  • A waist circumference larger than what’s considered healthy for you
  • High blood pressure
  • High blood sugar
  • High triglycerides
  • Low HDL cholesterol

Take the next step to improve your heart health

Once you know your numbers, you can make a heart health improvement plan with your healthcare provider.

In most cases, you can improve blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI by changing your lifestyle. You can:

From starting your risk assessment to reaching your health goals, Baylor Scott & White heart health experts are here for you.

Ready to improve your heart health? Call 214.820.0192 to request a heart risk assessment or take the heart risk quiz.