As American Heart Month comes to a close, now is a good time to put “prioritize heart health” at the top of your to-do list. Working with your healthcare provider to learn your heart numbers — the numbers that determine your risk for heart disease, stroke and other heart-related conditions — is a good place to start.

Knowing your numbers for cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index (BMI) are the best means of prevention when it comes to overall heart health. According to the American Heart Association, monitoring these numbers allows you and your provider to determine your risk for developing cardiovascular disease, even if you might not experience common symptoms.

“The old cliché, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ really holds its weight when talking about heart health,” said Kelli Bitner, Family Nurse Practitioner at Prowers Medical Center. “It is best for people to identify problems early through screening tests before they possibly develop a disease that causes complications later in life.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47 percent of Americans have at least one of three key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol or they are a smoker. Age and family history are uncontrollable risk factors, but many factors that contribute to deterioration of heart health are preventable, such as physical inactivity, obesity stress, alcohol consumption and nutrition.

“If people know where they stand with their numbers, then they know if they need to change their diet, if they need to exercise to lose some weight, or if they need to see their provider for medications that can help lower their numbers,” Bitner explained.

The Four Numbers to Know

Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI are the four numbers that providers across the country agree patients should know like their social security number.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a silent disease, meaning symptoms aren’t’ usually obvious. Blood pressure tends to rise as we get older, increasing our risk of heart disease, stroke and other issues.

Cholesterol is a major cause of coronary heart disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and it can only be detected by a blood test. Cholesterol buildup and arterial blockages in your body contribute to high cholesterol numbers, sometimes leading to chest pain, heart attack or stroke.

Knowing your blood sugar, or fasting glucose, numbers can help lower your risk for heart disease and stroke. When your body doesn’t respond to insulin, or can’t make insulin, glucose buildup in your blood can damage blood vessels and nerves, leading to heart-related problems.

Using your height and weight, BMI measures your body fat, which in result determines your risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension and diabetes.

According to the American Heart Association, ideal numbers for most adults are:

  • Blood Pressure: 120/80 mm Hg
  • BMI: 25 kg/m2
  • Blood Sugar: 100 mg/dL
  • Total Cholesterol: Varies by person — talk to your healthcare provider about how your numbers impact your cholesterol and overall risk.

If you’re unsure about what these numbers mean or where you stand, speak to your provider. They can explain where you are in comparison to these numbers and whether you’re in a healthy spot or need to start making improvements.

Making Healthy Changes

If you are not meeting these numbers, your provider will work with you on a personalized plan to improve your overall health. Most often, treatment plans include incorporation of regular exercise, weight loss, smoking cessation, eating a low-fat diet and increasing vegetable and protein intake.

“Lifestyle modifications are the number one treatment for most cardiovascular-related conditions,” Bitner said.

Prowers Medical Center offers appointments for patients who wish to schedule these types of preventative heart-related tests. To make an appointment with a primary care provider, call 719-336-6767.

“It’s vital to have these tests done in order to establish a baseline,” Bitner concluded. “This allows for the patient and provider to have a reference point for future monitoring.”