Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States.
Here you will find 6 numbers that give a good general overview of your cardiovascular health.
1. Blood pressure: The force your blood has to exert to flow through your arteries
Upper (systolic) number: The pressure your heart puts on your arteries as it pumps blood to the rest of your body.
Lower value (diastolic): the pressure when your heart is relaxed
2. LBD (“bad” cholesterol): Low-density lipoproteins carry cholesterol through your blood.
3. LAD (“good” cholesterol): High-density lipoproteins transport cholesterol to your liver, which removes it from your body.
4. Triglycerides: A type of fat in the blood that is often associated with high consumption of sugar, saturated fat, refined carbohydrates and insulin resistance
5. Total cholesterol: The level of all types of lipids (fats) in your blood, including LBD, LAD, triglycerides and more.
6. Lp(a): Pronounced “L, P, a,” lipoprotein (a) is a genetic risk factor for heart disease.
Lp(a) is not a routine test, but all adults should have levels checked at least once.
The strength of numbers
Ask your doctor what your goals should be regarding these numbers. Numbers that are not within the ideal range, whether very high or low, can increase your risk of serious medical conditions, including:
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Heart attacks
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Heart failure
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Cardiovascular accidents
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arteriosclerosis
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Coronary heart disease
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Peripheral arterial disease
If you know you are at risk, you can take preventive measures
You can’t change risk factors like your age or genes, but you can take important steps to reduce your cardiovascular risk.
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Stay physically active
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Make sure you eat a healthy diet
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Maintain a healthy weight
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Stop smoking and using tobacco
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Limit alcohol consumption
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Get enough sleep
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Take medications as prescribed to reduce risk factors
Request a complete evaluation of your lipid profile
Ask your doctor to run any tests to evaluate your lipid profile and better understand your cardiovascular health.
This resource was created with the support of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
