Live Well - October 2008

Heart Health: The New Numbers

Research over the past couple of years has changed ideas about what constitutes healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Are your numbers where they should be?

Blood Pressure
Normal: less than 120/80.
Prehypertension: 120-139/80-89.
Hypertension: 140/90 or higher.

Cholesterol
Total cholesterol: 200 or lower.
HDL (“good” cholesterol) 40 or higher.
LDL (“bad” cholesterol): Less than 160 if you have no or one risk factor, less than 130 if you have multiple risk factors (such as age older than 45, smoking, family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity or overweight) and less than 100 if you have heart disease or diabetes.

These are general guidelines. Your numbers may need to be different depending on your overall health. The important thing is to know what they are. Only your doctor can find out. Ask your doctor if you’re due for blood pressure or cholesterol screening.

This e-mail is brought to you by Live Well, a community wellness initiative of Prattville Baptist Hospital. For information, visit www.baptistfirst.org/livewell.htm or call 2-1-1.